Jets Had Internal Tension Before Steve Wilks Firing (Report)

The New York Jets suffered back-to-back blowout losses at the hands of the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars and opted to make a change on Monday.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that the former New York defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was fired from his role with the team. Unsurprisingly, when a move of this nature is made, it leads to a wide range of opinions. For example, former Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner took to X to defend Wilks before ultimately deleting his post.

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As the dust settled on Monday night, Jets insider Connor Hughes of SNY shed a bit more light on what led to the decision to fire Wilks now.

The Jets made a decision on Monday

Jun 11, 2025; Florham Park, NY, USA; New York Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks speaks at a press conference during minicamp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

"Jets defensive players had grown increasingly frustrated with Steve Wilks throughout this season," Hughes wrote on X. "Wilks’ system rebuffed player efforts to take their shot to make plays, attack. Players were told to 'let the scheme take care of it' because of how it worked in the past. Many players felt this held them back. One player, sources said, called out Wilks in a meeting, questioning a call and pointing out the flaws in the system. Another player repeatedly expressed concerns with usage and what players 'can’t do,' instructed to 'stay in your gap.' Continued failures only increased frustrations.

"On Monday, Aaron Glenn fired Wilks, a decision made for on-field reasons. The Jets ranked 30th in points allowed per game and 20th in yards. They are allowing 35+ over their last three, including a season-high 48 vs. the Jaguars. 'I thought it was time to make a change,' Glenn said today. 'I'm going to make the decision that's best for this organization at all times.'"

After the game on Sunday, Glenn was asked if the team would be making a change. At the time, he said the team would not. What should be a positive sign for Jets fans is that Glenn didn't just stick it out because he made the public comments. He came to a different conclusion after time had passed after the Jaguars game and came to the decision.

New York has only three games left in the season, but this is a time to build momentum for next season. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction.

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