Aaron Glenn has made another impressive addition to his New York Jets coaching staff.
According to NFL on CBS’ Jonathan Jones, the Jets are hiring Eric Washington as their defensive line coach. Washington has logged 14 NFL seasons as a defensive line coach or assistant defensive line coach, in addition to three seasons as a defensive coordinator. He last served as the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2024.
The Jets had a vacancy in this position after electing not to keep Aaron Whitecotton, who served as New York’s defensive line coach from 2021-24 under Robert Saleh. Whitecotton was hired by the Dallas Cowboys for the same role.
Washington, 55, is a longtime defensive line coach in the NFL and college football. After coaching the defensive line at Northwestern from 2004-07, Washington broke into the NFL as the Bears’ assistant defensive line coach in 2008, becoming their lead defensive line coach in 2010.
After that, Washington joined the Carolina Panthers, where he found a home for nine seasons (2011-19). Washington shared six of those seasons (2012-17) with Steve Wilks, who is now the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
In Carolina, Washington was the Panthers’ defensive line coach for seven seasons before being promoted to defensive coordinator from 2018-19. He succeeded Wilks in the role, who was hired as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach in 2018.
Washington was hired as the Buffalo Bills’ defensive line coach in 2020, serving the role for four seasons (2020-23). In 2023, he added assistant head coach to his title.
This past season, Washington was hired as the Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator under then-head coach Matt Eberflus.
Here is a roundup of the Jets’ hires so far:
- General manager: Darren Mougey
- Head coach: Aaron Glenn
- Offensive coordinator: Tanner Engstrand
- Defensive coordinator: Steve Wilks
- Special teams coordinator: Chris Banjo
- Offensive line coach: Steve Heiden
- Linebackers coach: Aaron Curry
- Defensive line coach: Eric Washington
- Defensive assistant: Chris Harris