The New York Jets hired Frank Reich as offensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday. The veteran coach is expected to handle play‑calling under head coach Aaron Glenn, sources tell CBS Sports. The development follows the club’s virtual interviews last week with five offensive coordinator candidates, including Reich.
Reich, 64, interviewed Jan. 28 as part of a group that also included Darrell Bevell, Ronald Curry, Greg Roman and Lunda Wells. The pursuit of Reich accelerated afterward.
“Frank has a rare combination of experience, creativity, and calm under pressure,” Glenn said in a release. “He’s lived this game from every angle — as a quarterback in this league and as a coach who’s led offenses at the highest level. He is unique in his ability to see the game for what it is right now and adapt when appropriate. Frank understands offense and how to utilize the strengths of players. I am looking forward to how he will help this team have success.”
The offensive search comes amid broader staff changes following the team’s 3-14 season in Glenn’s first year. New York had previously moved on from offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand after one year, opening the door for a new play‑caller. Separately, the Jets last week hired Brian Duker as defensive coordinator in a move that was not without drama — the Jets team were in advanced talks to hire former Giants coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, who was at Michigan the last two years, before a misunderstanding over who would call defensive plays led to Martindale backing away, according to SNY. Coaches who had been lined up to join Martindale’s hypothetical staff for the Jets told CBS Sports they had thought the agreement was essentially a done deal.
Reich returns to the NFL after spending 2025 as Stanford’s interim head coach under a one‑year agreement that began in March when Cardinal GM Andrew Luck, who Reich coached on the Indianapolis Colts, appointed him after the firing of coach Troy Taylor amid scandal. Reich helped Stanford avoid a mostly lost season — the Cardinal beat Cal in the Big Game, shocked Florida State and finished with a winning home record for the first time since 2018 — before shifting into a senior adviser role after Luck hired a permanent head coach.
Before Stanford, Reich spent nearly two decades in NFL coaching roles. He served as offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles (2016–17) during their Super Bowl LII championship season and later went 40‑33‑1 across four‑plus seasons as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (2018–22). He was dismissed 11 games into his lone season as the Carolina Panthers head coach in 2023; the Panthers were 1-10.
The Jets are seeking to overhaul an offense that finished 29th in total offense and points and 32nd in passing yards per game in 2025. The Jets are expected to explore quarterback options in both free agency and the draft this offseason.
Wednesday’s interview list underscored New York’s emphasis on play‑calling experience around the quarterback position. Bevell most recently worked with Miami’s quarterbacks, Curry coached the position in Buffalo, Roman has multiple stints as an NFL offensive coordinator, and Wells is a long‑time assistant with Dallas. The Jets said all five interviews were conducted virtually.
Reich’s arrival completes the top layer of Glenn’s staff following Duker’s appointment and close a week in which the defensive search briefly appeared headed toward Martindale before the club’s plans changed.
