NFL insiders share gloomy outlook for Jets HC Aaron Glenn

Questions about the long-term future of New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn hovered over the franchise before it was reported that team owner Woody Johnson was allegedly back to his meddling ways and before an unnamed general manager said that Glenn "did nothing" to fix the Jets' culture during his first season on the job. 

It seems like multiple NFL insiders believe things could get worse for the Glenn-led Jets before they improve. 

Does Woody Johnson already have Aaron Glenn's replacement in mind? 

While listing Glenn as the top choice for a list of coaches on the hot seat for the 2026 season, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports noted that Glenn firing most of his coaching staff this winter was likely a "last-ditch effort to keep his job." 

"Add in Glenn’s prickly relationship with the New York media, the fact that his team still doesn’t have a viable option at quarterback, and a pitchfork-wielding mob of a fan base, and his short-term future doesn’t seem bright — especially with Mike Tomlin looming in the pool of candidates for next year," Vacchiano wrote.

The 2025 Jets went 3-14 under Glenn, and his players were accused of tapping out early as the club suffered five straight double-digit losses to end the season. Meanwhile, a recent report indicated Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will have to settle for a Band-Aid option at quarterback for the second straight offseason.

As it pertains to Tomlin, some close to the former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach think he may truly be "done" working on NFL sidelines. Johnson and his wallet may have something to say about such whispers next January. 

Jets have no "clear-cut solution" for having a better second season under Aaron Glenn? 

"New York probably has the worst quarterback outlook in the league -- and it doesn't seem particularly close," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler shared about the Jets for a piece published on Thursday. "Perhaps the Jets can address the issue with the second or 16th overall picks (of this year's draft). Otherwise, they must comb the veteran or trade markets. Neither path offers a clear-cut solution. The coaching staff is completely in flux, and the secondary is not good enough."

Fowler added that the Jets are "set up for a swift two-year rebuild if it handles the coming drafts correctly." Even if Mougey hits on the bulk of his draft picks, it sounds like people around the NFL believe Glenn won't be employed by the Jets when they are ready to compete for at least a playoff berth.