It’s time for another New York Jets coaching search, with head coach Aaron Glenn sitting at a 5-19 record (.208 winning percentage) through his first 24 games and not enough signs of improvement in his second season. Fortunately for New York as it looks ahead to the upcoming NFL coaching carousel, this looming head-coaching vacancy offers a lot more appeal than it did before Glenn was hired.

Who should be the next Jets head coach? Let’s dive into our list of Jets coaching candidates for 2027.

Sean McDermott, Former Buffalo Bills Head Coach

Head-coaching experience should probably be a priority in the next Jets coaching search. After all, things didn’t work out with Glenn, with his inexperience proving costly in both seasons, and things under Robert Saleh weren’t much better. New York simply needs a stabilizing force right now, and that could be Sean McDermott. Josh Allen isn’t the only reason McDermott was so successful as the Buffalo Bills head coach, evidenced by the fact he went 9-7 with a playoff appearance when Tyrod Taylor was the Bills’ starting quarterback in 2017. McDermott’s defense also performed fairly well during his tenure, ranking second in EPA per play (-0.035) and 14th in Success Rate (43.9 percent) from 2020 to 2024. McDermott could help this Jets defense take another step forward in 2027, and if they land on the right quarterback in the NFL Draft, perhaps New York could become a perennial playoff contender under McDermott in the same way the Bills did during the early years when Allen was developing.

Declan Doyle, Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator

It would certainly be reasonable if New York wants to bring in an offensive-minded coach to replace Glenn. However, as the Jets coaching search this offseason will show, there’s a short supply of up-and-coming coordinators who are actually play-callers. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is one of the exceptions. After serving on Ben Johnson’s coaching staff in 2025 with the Chicago Bears, the 30-year-old was poached by head coach Jesse Minter upon his hiring in Baltimore. Through seven games, the Ravens offense ranks 12th in yards per drive (33.3) and points per drive (2.19), ninth in third-down conversion rate (41.7 percent), sixth in yards per play (5.9), fourth in rushing yards (141.7 rush ypg), and fourth in team passer rating (108.0). That success is even with Lamar Jackson missing three games. Doyle would be a risky hire for New York, but he is the offensive coordinator with play-calling experience we feel is the best bet for the Jets.

Mike Tomlin, Former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach

If Mike Tomlin wants to be an NFL head coach again, he’ll have his choice of jobs. The Jets’ ownership situation lessens the appeal of this potential head-coaching vacancy, but there are also some factors working in New York’s favor. Among them, the Jets rank fifth in projected cap space ($96.827 million) in 2027 in addition to the three first-round picks this front office will have to work with in the 2027 NFL Draft. That offers an unmatched ability to overhaul this roster, one that already has blue-chip talent offensively (Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, Omar Cooper Jr., Olu Fashanu, and Armand Membou) and defensively (David Bailey and T’Vondre Sweat). Tomlin would be a culture setter, and a single offseason, with the right moves, could put the Jets in position to compete for a Wild Card spot in 2027.

Nate Scheelhaase, Los Angeles Rams Offensive Coordinator

Now is where we get to the tier of Jets coaching candidates who don’t have play-calling experience in the NFL. Nate Scheelhaase, who turns 36 in November, was promoted by Sean McVay this offseason to serve as the Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator. That came weeks after he nailed his head-coaching interview with the Pittsburgh Steelers and generated a lot of early buzz in the NFL coaching carousel in his first time through the process. Scheelhaase has quickly climbed his way up the Rams coaching staff, moving from offensive assistant (2024) to pass game coordinator (2025) and now McVay’s right-hand man when it comes to designing the offense and creating game plans each week. If New York is willing to take the ultimate gamble on someone who many around the NFL view as a future head coach, even with such limited experience as an assistant on the pro side, Scheelhaase could be the next success story.

Grant Udinski, Jacksonville Jaguars Offensive Coordinator

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski is in his second season working under Liam Coen, who has quickly established himself both as one of the best head coaches in the NFL right now and one of the league’s top play-callers. Prior to his current stint in Jacksonville, Udinski was one of the first hires made by Kevin O’Connell when he took over as the Minnesota Vikings head coach in 2022. Udinski has never been an offensive play-caller during the regular season in Minnesota or Jacksonville, but he has spent the last five years learning from two of the league’s top offensive minds. Given his track record working with quarterbacks, it wouldn’t surprise us if Udinski is brought in for an interview during the Jets coaching search this upcoming offseason.