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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Former NFL head coach Frank Reich, who quarterbacked the New York Jets in a long-ago season that most fans would like to forget, is back with the team as its new offensive coordinator.
The Jets announced the hiring of Reich on Wednesday, eight days after firing offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
“Frank has a rare combination of experience, creativity, and calm under pressure,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said in a statement released by the team. “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.”
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Reich, 64, joins the Jets in the aftermath of a major staff shake-up by Glenn, who fired nine assistants from his original staff. Reich becomes the Jets’ 12th different playcaller in a 16-year span.
In Reich, Glenn gets a seasoned play caller with head-coaching experience — Indianapolis Colts (2018-2022) and Carolina Panthers (2023). Reich inherits one of the worst offenses in the NFL — a unit with a gaping hole at quarterback. The Jets finished 29th in scoring and 29th in yards.
This is a critical hire for Glenn, who went 3-14 in his first season and could be on the hot seat in 2026. Glenn, expected to call the defense after hiring inexperienced defensive coordinator Brian Duker last Wednesday, will let Reich run the show on offense.
Reich and Glenn have no prior coaching experience together, but they were teammates on the 1996 Jets, who recorded the worst record (1-15) in franchise history. Reich started seven games that year as a replacement for the injured Neil O’Donnell. In 2015, he interviewed for the Jets’ head-coaching job, which went to Todd Bowles.
He was one of five known candidates to interview for the vacancy. The others were Darrell Bevell (Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator), Ronald Curry (Buffalo Bills quarterbacks), Greg Roman (former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator) and Lunda Wells (Dallas Cowboys tight ends).
Bevell and Roman were the other finalists — they did second interviews, in-person — and could be under consideration for other positions on the staff. There are three vacancies on offense.
Reich wasn’t in high demand, probably because he was out of the NFL in 2024 and 2025. He was Stanford University’s interim coach in 2025 (4-8) and remained at the school as a senior adviser. His previous NFL stop was brief and messy; he was fired by the Panthers after a 1-10 start in his first season. His quarterback, No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, struggled mightily that year as a rookie.
Nevertheless, Reich does have solid experience, including four years as a coordinator — two with the Chargers, two with the Philadelphia Eagles. He won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017, but he wasn’t the play caller. Coach Doug Pederson handled that responsibility.
Reich dealt with quarterback instability during his years with the Colts, which should prepare him for the Jets. In Indianapolis, he had five different starting quarterbacks — Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan.
Despite the constant change, he made the playoffs in two of his first three seasons and fielded three top-10 scoring offenses, evolving from a pass-heavy offense under Luck to a run-reliant unit with running back Jonathan Taylor. His offenses are known to be balanced and aggressive, using no-huddle and tempo.
In New York, his priority will be to find a quarterback. The only quarterbacks under contract are Justin Fields (a likely cap casualty) and Brady Cook, who struggled as a rookie. They plan to add a veteran and, possibly, a rookie. The other big question is running back Breece Hall, who will be a free agent.
On the upside, wide receiver Garrett Wilson is healthy after missing 10 games with a knee injury and the offensive line returns four starters.
Reich played 14 seasons in the NFL, best known as the Buffalo Bills’ backup quarterback from 1985 to 1994.
