How Frank Reich Is Already Making a Strong First Impression at Jets Training Camp

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — In the NFL, youth is always better. Experience tends to only hurt, especially when it comes to coaching.

A young coach, for example, may be more willing to adapt his scheme to the roster he has, and not the other way around. He's more open to fresh ideas (or at least that's the perception). Older coaches, meanwhile, are known as people who are set in their ways: they have done something for a long time, and therefore, it's the only way they think.

For a team like the Jets, they have a mix of older coaches and younger ones. Going into the 2026 season, they're hoping the adaptability of their elder statesmen will be enough to keep the team afloat. And no one is under more pressure to do just that than offensive coordinator Frank Reich.

Luckily for Gang Green, Reich's mindset has been anything but old.

Frank Reich is making a strong first impression in Year 1 with Jets

He doesn't have the same popularity when it comes to playcalling as Sean McVay for Kyle Shanahan, but what Reich has done over the last few months is prove to the Jets that he is more than capable of leading the group this season and beyond.

From the way he speaks to players, to his own scheme, Reich is someone who has understood the way to find success in the league is to always be accepting to change.

"(Reich's) a guy that's always adapting," Jets guard Joe Tippmann said Thursday. "He's somebody who's not just watching film from the 2000s; he's doing studies on recent years. I get excited about where he's going to be able to take us this year."

Joe Tippmann on OC Frank Reich pic.twitter.com/B33NF54geM
— New York Jets (@nyjets) July 30, 2026

Tippmann's omission is important for a Jets offense that finished dead last in several key categories last season, especially in their passing offense. By marrying modern concepts with his old-school coaching style, the Jets believe they can post quality numbers throughout the year.

At the very least, Reich's moderninity is expected to keep this team fun going forward.

It's not the only way Reich is making an impact, though.

Reich's off-field importance

At 64 years old, Reich has seen a lot across his nearly 40 years around the NFL. It's why he's more than just a new play-caller for the offense this year. He's a sounding board for his old friend and new boss, Aaron Glenn.

"It is a luxury to have men like that in your life because we all need men that we can lean on," Glenn said. "From a former teammate to someone I've competed against to now being on this staff, those conversations were nothing but positive."

"It is a luxury to have men like that in your life, because we all need men that we can lean on."

Aaron Glenn talks about his relationship with Frank Reich and the Jets bringing Reich back to the NFL as their offensive coordinator: pic.twitter.com/Ha1JiSSrzY
— SNY Jets (@snyjets) July 30, 2026

Glenn and Reich were teammates in New York for a single season. They saw just one win that year together. That struggle, though, built a bond that has connected both beyond their playing days and into their coaching career.

When Glenn needed someone he could trust to run his offense in 2026, Reich was the clear choice for him.

From an adaptability standpoint and as a sounding board, Reich is bringing new energy to the Jets. One that is usually reserved for younger coordinators around the league.

But when it comes to the play-caller, age is only a number.

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