New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn is bolstering his staff with a former NFL head coach.
The Jets are hiring Steve Wilks as their new defensive coordinator, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Wilks will call defensive plays as part of the role.
The #Jets have agreed to terms with Steve Wilks as their defensive coordinator, per sources.
After sitting out last season, Wilks — a longtime respected assistant and former #Cardinals head coach — now returns as a key figure on Aaron Glenn’s new staff in New York. pic.twitter.com/qfWtWdZU7E
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 29, 2025
Wilks is a respected figure in NFL circles and an experienced hire for a first-time head coach in Glenn. He spent one season as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, and impressed by going 6-6 in an interim stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2022. His most recent role was in 2023, when he spent one year as San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator. He was surprisingly fired after one season and did not coach at the NFL level last season.
The Jets had been strong defensively over the past few seasons, but saw significant slippage last year after the midseason firing of Robert Saleh. Wilks will be tasked with getting the unit back to top form.
