Hot Seat? Jets' Aaron Glenn Under Fire Heading into 2026 Season

The New York Jets have had a very solid offseason so far and should be in a better position than they were in at the end of the 2025 National Football League season.

It's not necessarily that hard to make that point. The Jets finished the 2025 season in last place in the AFC East at 3-14. That was tied with the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals for the worst record in the National Football League.

The Jets overhauled the coaching staff, outside of head coach Aaron Glenn, and have bolstered the roster all over the place with a focus on defense and also quarterback with Geno Smith.

While the Jets are in a much better position right now, that doesn't mean everything is perfect. For example, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay ranked the top eight players, coaches and executives around the league under the most pressure for the 2026 season. Glenn came in at No. 1 on the hot seat.

The Jets coach is someone to watch

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"There was a strong case to be made for Aaron Glenn to be a one-and-done coach for the New York Jets," Kay wrote. "The team was effectively out of the playoff hunt by October and finished the dismal season with a 3-14 record. Team owner Woody Johnson displayed patience with the first-time head coach, though, opting to retain Glenn in an effort to bring some much-needed stability to his long-suffering franchise.

"After overhauling his staff and assuming defensive play-calling duties—the former cornerback likened his ability to run a defense to a "superpower"—Glenn will be under significant pressure to turn things around in 2026. The coach needs to start trending in the right direction after inheriting a roster that finished third in total defense in 2024 but regressed to 25th in that category this past season."

It's perfectly fair as well. Glenn was hired to come in and change the culture and direction of the franchise. The fact that he's still with the Jets is the right move. It takes time to make the big changes that he has been tasked with doing. The 2025 season was a mess, but now Glenn has more of his guys in and the franchise has bolstered the defense with veterans left and right. Glenn also will be calling the plays on defense himself.

Glenn can't afford another 3-14 season. There needs to be a clear sign that the changes are working. If the Jets end the 2026 season in the same position they finished the 2025 campaign, it wouldn't be a shock to see a new head coach in town in 2027.