“Who’s his offensive coordinator?”
It’s the most common question directed at any head coach candidate from a defensive background.
The New York Jets interviewed Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for their head coaching position on Thursday. While Glenn is highly regarded on the defensive side of the ball, one of the main concerns with him as a candidate is whether he can build a quality offensive staff.
This isn’t a unique situation to Glenn, but it’s a major concern for a Jets franchise that has had one of the NFL’s worst offenses over the past decade. This leads everyone to ask the same question: Who would Aaron Glenn’s offensive coordinator be? What about his other offensive assistants?
NFL head coaches commonly bring over coaches from their previous team as well as other coaches they crossed paths with. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh brought Mike LaFleur with him from the 49ers as his offensive coordinator, and he called on former Seahawks colleague Jeff Ulbrich as his defensive coordinator.
Using this line of thinking, we can look at potential options Glenn may bring from his ties at previous stops. There is no guarantee Glenn would consider them, or that they would be interested, but it gives us a starting point of what Glenn’s offensive staff could look like.
Let’s dive into potential coordinators for one of the hottest head coaching candidates of this cycle.
Pete Carmichael Jr. – Senior Offensive Assistant, Denver Broncos
Pete Carmichael Jr. joined the Broncos as a senior offensive assistant this past year, contributing to an improved offensive season in Denver. The Broncos jumped from 19th in points per game (21.0) in 2023 to 10th (25.0) in 2024, led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Before joining the Broncos, Carmichael spent 15 seasons as the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints (2009-23). He overlapped with Glenn for all five of his seasons as the Saints’ defensive backs coach (2016-20).
For most of those seasons, the Saints’ offense was run by head coach Sean Payton, who Carmichael followed to Denver last year. Following Payton’s exit after the 2021 season, Carmichael gained greater control of the offense in his final two seasons with the team, and the results were mixed. He led them to 22nd in points per game in 2022 (19.4), but jumped to ninth in 2023 (23.6).
Carmichael, whose primary background is as a quarterbacks coach, has been coaching since 1994 and in the NFL since 2000. Notably, Carmichael worked as an offensive assistant with Drew Brees in San Diego before both joined the Saints in 2006. Nix’s early success has sometimes been compared to Brees’ elite short passing and decision-making. Quarterback development is critical for any coordinator the Jets may consider.
Glenn’s five years in New Orleans with Carmichael provide an easy connection. Whether Carmichael would leave Payton is the more difficult question.
Joe Lombardi – Offensive Coordinator, Denver Broncos
Another coach with heavy ties to Payton, Joe Lombardi is a similar candidate to Carmichael but has broader experience.
Lombardi spent 12 seasons with Payton and the Saints across two separate stints (2007-13; 2016-20), serving as an offensive assistant from 2007-08 and as the quarterbacks coach for the remaining 10 seasons. In between his New Orleans stints, Lombardi spent two seasons as the Lions’ offensive coordinator (2013-14). The Detroit stint went poorly, as Lombardi was fired midway through 2014.
From 2021-22, Lombardi spent two seasons as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. The results were positive, as he led Los Angeles to fifth in points per game in 2021 (27.9) and 13th in 2022 (23.9). Second-year quarterback Justin Herbert threw for over 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2021.
Lombardi rejoined Payton with the Broncos in 2023 as the offensive coordinator, a role he has held for the past two seasons.
Glenn and Lombardi crossed paths with the Saints from 2016-20 before both left for promotions.
Having worked with Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford, Justin Herbert, and now Bo Nix, Lombardi’s experience with developing quarterbacks is huge for a Jets franchise expecting to draft one within the next two years.
John Morton – Passing Game Coordinator, Denver Broncos
John Morton should sound familiar to Jets fans, as he was New York’s offensive coordinator back in 2017. Despite little to no talent on the offense, Morton led one of the better Jets offenses in recent years. Before Josh McCown went down with an injury, the Jets (who had a preseason over-under of 3.5 wins) were averaging 22.2 points through 12 games.
Morton, the Denver Broncos’ passing game coordinator since 2023, has a long, multi-faceted history on the offensive side of the ball. Starting in 1998 with the Raiders, Morton has spent time as a quality control coach, tight ends coach, wide receivers coach, senior offensive assistant, passing game coordinator, and offensive coordinator for six NFL teams, USC, and the University of San Diego.
Glenn and Morton crossed paths with the Saints in 2016 and again with the Lions in 2022, making Morton the only coach on this list who knows Glenn from both New Orleans and Detroit. While their time together is limited, Morton has an impressive resume and should be on Glenn’s radar.
Duce Staley – Running Backs Coach, Cleveland Browns
Duce Staley is currently the Browns’ running backs coach. Prior to that, he was the assistant head coach and running backs coach with the Panthers in 2023, and he held the same roles for the Lions from 2021-22.
Staley spent 10 seasons on the Eagles’ coaching staff from 2011-20, working his way up to multiple roles and winning a Super Bowl in 2017. He started out as a special teams quality control coach before moving up to running backs coach (2013-20), and he doubled as the assistant head coach over his final three seasons (2018-20).
Before becoming a coach, Staley was a running back for 10 seasons with the Eagles and Steelers.
Glenn and Staley spent two years together in Detroit.
Staley is an intriguing option due to his time as the assistant head coach for the Lions, Panthers, and Eagles. With the Jets needing an offensive coordinator to oversee the entire offense, Staley’s experience as an assistant head coach is an asset.
The concern is that Staley has never called plays before. If the Jets choose to pursue Staley as an offensive coordinator, I would expect them to pursue a passing game coordinator as well – which leads me to the next option.
Mark Brunell – Quarterbacks Coach, Detroit Lions
Mark Brunell has been the quarterbacks coach for the Lions since 2021. He has worked closely with Jared Goff, reviving his career and solidifying him as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Brunell has the least coaching experience on this list, only coaching at the high school level prior to joining Detroit. His limited experience is a concern to be an offensive coordinator. Still, Brunell is a tantalizing option to bring along as a QB coach and potentially a passing game coordinator depending on who Glenn chooses.
Building a strong staff is critical to team success
The focus will always be on the stars or leaders of teams: the quarterback, the head coach, the general manager, and the owner. While they have a large role in deciding the outcome, there are dozens and even hundreds of other individuals who contribute to each team’s success.
By all accounts, Glenn is an incredible coach and leader of men. However, the same was said about Robert Saleh when he joined the Jets. Saleh’s inability to surround himself with a strong staff played a role in his downfall.
The Jets’ offense has been the franchise’s biggest issue for decades. It is paramount that Aaron Glenn, or whoever the Jets hire, builds a staff that can rectify the offensive implosion of this past season.
