Jets hire experienced top assistant, and move exposes their true vision for the future
The New York Jets have a new defensive coordinator. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, who most recently was a DC for the San Francisco 49ers, will be the top defensive assistant under head coach Aaron Glenn. You could think that the Jets defensive coordinator job wouldn't be as attractive with a defensive-minded head […]
The New York Jets have a new defensive coordinator. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, who most recently was a DC for the San Francisco 49ers, will be the top defensive assistant under head coach Aaron Glenn.
You could think that the Jets defensive coordinator job wouldn't be as attractive with a defensive-minded head coach, but the decision sent a clear message.
Steve Wilks will call plays, signaling that Glenn intends to be a CEO-type head coach—just like he saw Dan Campbell operate with the Detroit Lions.
A 55-year-old coach, Steve Wilks has been in the NFL since 2006. He was a defensive backs coach for the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, and Carolina Panthers. Under Ron Rivera on the Panthers, Wilks was promoted to assistant head coach and then defensive coordinator.
Wilks was a one-and-done head coach with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. Later, he was a defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, spent another year in college at Missouri, and returned to the Panthers as a passing game coordinator and secondary coach before being an interim head coach. In 2023, he spent the season as the 49ers head coach, but was fired after one year under Kyle Shanahan.
Other positions
According to Mike Klis, from 9NEWS, Denver Broncos assistant special teams coach Chris Banjo is expected to be the Jets special teams coordinator.
The main position on the staff still open is offensive coordinator, but Detroit Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand is the favorite. So much that the Jets have already hired former Lions tight ends coach Steve Heiden to be their new offensive line coach. Curiously, Heiden worked under Steve Wilks on the 2018 Cardinals' staff as an assistant offensive line coach.
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It’s an intriguing development
