The New York Jets will leave London with a 0-6 record after an offseason of massive changes. The hiring of former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has not quite gone as planned, as the franchise has played undisciplined football and looked lost at times to begin Glenn’s time as head coach.
With the team showing little improvement every week, Glenn’s seat is getting hotter and hotter as the Jets’ front office and desperate fans look for signs of hope for the future. However, after another tough loss in Week 6 against the Denver Broncos in London, who could the Jets turn to if they decide to pull the plug?
Five Candidates To Replace Aaron Glenn if New York Jets Fire New HC
Here are five options the Jets could turn to should the franchise decide to fire Glenn after the Week 6 disaster in London.
5) Brian Flores, Defensive Coordinator, Minnesota Vikings
Flores is a schematic problem solver. Tasked with revamping a Minnesota Vikings defense that was light on talent in 2023, the former Miami Dolphins head coach made it work.
According to TruMedia, he sent blitzes (49.3%) and dropped eight into coverage (20.8%) at league-high rates while guiding a defense that somehow finished 11th in DVOA.
In all three stops as the defensive play-caller or head coach, Flores improved the defense:
- Flores took over as the New England Patriots’ defensive play-caller in 2018 following the departure of Matt Patricia and saw New England jump from 27th in EPA per play to seventh.
- Flores’ Dolphins defense ranked 30th in EPA per play in his first season in 2019, but it jumped to fourth in 2020 and finished sixth in 2021.
- Flores’ Vikings defense ranked 20th in EPA per play in his first season as defensive coordinator in 2023, but ranked second in 2024.
Unlike many members of Bill Belichick’s coaching staff, Flores has shown the ability to adapt his scheme to his current surroundings. For example, the Patriots traditionally played high levels of man coverage, which Flores brought to the Dolphins. Miami played the highest level of man coverage in the NFL (50%) during Flores’ head-coaching tenure from 2019-21.
However, the Vikings have played man coverage at the fourth-lowest rate (18%) during Flores’ two seasons in Minnesota. He’s managed to turn man coverage into an effective change-up pitch without relying on it, as the Vikings average the second-highest EPA per play in man coverage since 2023.
The Jets opt to not call a timeout and Garrett Wilson is incensed with Aaron Glenn pic.twitter.com/hD5KlBCLDO
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) October 12, 2025
Sometimes, franchises try to go in a different direction with the next hire, and going with Flores would mean back-to-back head coaches with defensive backgrounds.
However, Flores’ teams in Miami displayed highly disciplined play with penalties, held the ninth-best turnover differential, and forced the fourth-most turnovers from 2020-2021. The Jets could bring in Flores solely intending to clean up a team that’s displayed some sloppy and head-scratching decisions this season.
4) Mike McCarthy, Free Agent
Mike McCarthy went 49-35 in five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but won just seven games in 2024, failing to live up to expectations. Dallas went 12-5 in McCarthy’s second, third, and fourth seasons but earned no more than one playoff win in those three appearances. Jerry Jones ultimately decided not to renew McCarthy’s deal.
The NFL is a game of inches, and during the McCarthy era, the Cowboys could play those tight spots. Since 2020, Dallas has ranked fifth in winning percentage in one-score games (record: 22-16). Those regular-season numbers didn’t carry over to the postseason (0-2 in one-score games).
The Jets have lost four one-score games through the first six weeks of the 2025 season. If the Jets do decide to move on very quickly from Glenn, McCarthy’s decision-making in the regular season is proven, and it could help the Jets look more respectable at the very least.
3) Kliff Kingsbury, Offensive Coordinator, Washington Commanders
Kliff Kingsbury was known for some rigid tendencies with the Arizona Cardinals, but has shown more flexibility during his first season as the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator.
For example, Kingsbury has varied his personnel usage. With the Cardinals, Kingsbury leaned heavily into his wide receivers. Arizona used the eighth-highest rate of 3+ WR sets (69.4%) and the highest rate of 4+ WR sets (17.1%). The 2024 Commanders rank 19th in 3+ WR sets (60.1%) and instead have the 12th-highest rate of 2+ TE sets (33.7%). They’ve only run six plays the entire season with 4+ WRs on the field.
Kingsbury may need another season of success in Washington before another franchise is going to give him a chance after the disaster in Arizona. However, he’s been solid to start the 2025 season, withstanding the loss of second-year QB Jayden Daniels for a couple of games and superstar WR Terry McLaurin. If the Jets move on from Glenn, the 0-6 disaster should be enough to forget about Kingsbury’s own failed stint.
2) Joe Brady, Offensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills
Joe Brady has been deemed a future NFL head coach since 2019, when he won the Broyles Award as the best assistant coach in college football. Then, LSU’s wide receivers coach in their championship run, overseeing Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, Brady has grown a lot since jumping to the NFL level.
A rocky stint as the offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers dimmed his shine, but Brady has helped Josh Allen secure an MVP and elevate his game even further. The Bills placed fourth in Offense+ and scored the second-most points in the NFL during the 2024 season. Buffalo had a tough Week 5 loss to the Patriots, but it had scored 30 or more points in the four games prior.
Heading into Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season, the Bills have the best offense in the league based on PFSN’s Offense Impact metric.
At only 35, he could be a good option for a Jets team looking for an offensive option after going with Glenn, a defensive coordinator. While the Jets were able to score 32 points in Week 1, they could only muster up 10 points in Week 2 and 11 points in Week 6. The intra-divisional move could possibly help New York break out of its offensive woes.
1) Jon Gruden, Free Agent
Jon Gruden could become a candidate worth watching. The former NFL coach has publicly expressed his desire for a comeback, telling reporters he is “on the verge of making a comeback” and would coach at any level. His Super Bowl championship credentials and experience developing quarterbacks would appeal to the Jets, which have struggled offensively under multiple head coaches.
However, hiring Gruden would come with major complications beyond just financial issues. After controversial emails became public, he resigned from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, creating significant reputation risks for any franchise that might hire him. He also has an open lawsuit with the NFL heading towards discovery, which would complicate bringing him on as a head coach.
Jets owner Woody Johnson has made some interesting decisions throughout his tenure. While the move may seem far-fetched, never count out a franchise that’s desperate to turn things around.
