Making Sense of Jets-Mike Tomlin Rumors Beyond the 2026 Season

The recent buzz has given fans something to talk about, but is it worth their time?

Here's what to make of the recent buzz surrounding Mike Tomlin potentially joining the Jets down the line. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are some Jets fans who really want a new head coach. It doesn't matter what Aaron Glenn does this season or how many games the team wins.

In the words of Sir Michael Caine's depiction of Alfred in the spectacular movie "The Dark Knight:"

"Some men just want to watch the world burn."

All jokes aside, it's comical to think beyond what the Jets could do before the 2026 season even begins. New York has improved its roster at every level, and there are truly improved vibes for the team heading into Week 1. There's hope that Gang Green can finally turn things around.

But one report from a former NFL Network reporter has started to meddle with some of those solid vibes. And it ties into former Super Bowl-winning Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Where the Mike Tomlin-Jets rumors began

Jason La Canfora, a former NFL Network reporter for many years, threw a bombshell in front of Jets fans just two weeks before the start of the regular season. On Wednesday, La Canfora reported that other general managers around the league thought Jets owner Woody Johnson couldn't wait to replace Glenn with Mike Tomlin.

“Woody is starting to ask a lot of questions; he’s doing his homework on Tomlin,” La Canfora wrote. “This one has legs. I’m telling you. Mike is in New York at Rockefeller Center for NBC, Woody is back in charge at the facility, and he knows how steep the competition will be. You are going to hear a lot about the Jets.”

Tomlin stepped away from the game after last season. He finished 193-114-2 during his nearly 20 years in the Steel City. That included two Super Bowl appearances, a 2009 title and a playoff victory drought of over nine years.

Mike Tomlin's long list of accolades is bound to be attractive to most teams looking for a head coach. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The former Steelers coach joined NBC's "Sunday Night in America" production as an analyst. If he returns to the NFL, he would still be under contract with the Steelers, so any team that wants to acquire him would need to send draft-pick compensation to Pittsburgh.

That, among many other reasons, is why the Jets are not as "locked in" on Tomlin as previous reporting may suggest.

The reality of the situation

Woody Johnson loves Aaron Glenn. He was the one who hired the 33rd Team last year to find the next head coach and was thrilled that a former Pro Bowl player he'd known for decades was the right man for the job. If there's anyone who wants Glenn to succeed in the Jets organization, it's Johnson.

Nobody likely wants Aaron Glenn to succeed more as the Jets' head coach than Woody Johnson. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As an owner, he also had no problem giving Glenn a five-year contract in 2025 worth over a reported $12 million per year. Should the Jets fire Glenn at any point, that means New York owes him over $12 million per year for each of the remaining years on his deal.

In a hypothetical scenario, the Jets would need to give the Steelers draft capital and sign Tomlin to a new contract that pays more than Glenn makes while still paying Glen the money he's owed until 2029.

That's not happening. At least that's not what Johnson wants to do.

There is pressure on Glenn to succeed this season, especially after such a disastrous first year with the team. If the Jets don't improve, then it's possible that Johnson may have no choice but to make a change.

But we are way too early for that.

The Jets and Glenn have had a very good training camp. They look like a team that is primed and ready for an improved season. What an improved season looks like for them remains to be seen. But it's hard to predict they'll be among the worst teams in the league, so long as Glenn takes the necessary improvements needed to succeed this year.

Any talk of future coaching prospects is nothing more than a waste of time and energy. And Jets fans shouldn't fall for that trap.

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