The NFL officially released its 2025 schedule earlier this week. The New York Jets’ slate offers plenty to unpack.
One thing that jumped out was the gauntlet the Jets will face to start the season. With a new coaching staff, a rookie head coach, and several fresh faces on the roster, the revamped Jets must figure things out in a hurry. New York will face a slate of playoff contenders and high-powered offenses across the first six weeks.
These are the Jets’ opening six games of the 2025 season:
- Week 1: vs. Steelers
- Week 2: vs. Bills
- Week 3: at Buccaneers
- Week 4: at Dolphins
- Week 5: vs. Cowboys
- Week 6: vs. Broncos (London)
Four of the Jets’ first six opponents made the playoffs in 2024 (Steelers, Bills, Buccaneers, Broncos). Meanwhile, the two teams that didn’t make it (Dolphins and Cowboys) primarily missed out because of injuries to their starting quarterbacks. When their signal callers are healthy, Miami and Dallas boast two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
Over the past two seasons, those six teams have combined for nine playoff appearances and averaged over 10 wins per year. In comparison, the Jets are only projected to win 6.2 games in 2025.
This is a brutal stretch for any team. However, it’s even tougher for a team as inexperienced as the Jets. Not only do they have a young team, but many of the coaches are in their roles for the first time.
The Jets’ rookie coaching staff will need to learn on the job fast
The Jets welcomed a new regime after the tumultuous end of the Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh era. While the front office will continue to change, the Jets’ coaching staff is essentially set as we prepare for the 2025 NFL season. Here are a few of the Jets’ coaching additions:
- Head coach: Aaron Glenn
- Offensive coordinator: Tanner Engstrand
- Special teams coordinator: Chris Banjo
- Offensive line coach: Steve Heiden
- Tight ends coach: Jeff Blasko
What do these five coaches have in common? This is their first time in their respective roles.
While all bring exciting experience and upside to their roles, they’ve never carried as much responsibility as they do now. This lack of experience is most apparent on offense.
The offense is led by Tanner Engstrand, who was the passing game coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2022-24. Engstrand coached in college for 14 seasons, including seven as an offensive coordinator at San Diego (FCS), but he’s never called plays in the NFL.
Thankfully for Engstrand, he can rely on Scott Turner’s experience. Turner, the Jets’ passing game coordinator, was the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders from 2020-22 and called plays for the Las Vegas Raiders this past season.
Under this young staff, the Jets will have several rookie starters to assimilate into their system.
Offensive tackle Armand Membou and tight end Mason Taylor, the Jets’ first two picks of the 2025 draft, will be learning from coaches who have not served in their current roles before. The Jets are counting on Steve Heiden and Jeff Blasko to elevate these two critical young players.
After spending most of his coaching career at the tight end position, this will be Heiden’s first year spearheading an offensive line. Following one season as the Arizona Cardinals’ assistant offensive line coach (2018), Heiden spent the last six seasons as the tight ends coach for Arizona (2019-22) and Detroit (2023-24).
Blasko coached tight ends at the college level, but this is his first time as an NFL tight ends coach. He spent the last two seasons as the Dallas Cowboys’ run game coordinator and running backs coach, and the previous six years as an assistant offensive line coach for Dallas (2020-22), Cleveland (2019), and Green Bay (2017-18).
Most notably, new Jets quarterback Justin Fields will be on his third team and fourth offensive coordinator despite only being in his fifth year. There is a learning curve whenever a player joins a new team. However, this will be exacerbated by a Jets staff that is still figuring out its identity.
The Jets’ new regime is confident in its ability to succeed early
Aaron Glenn and the Jets have exuded confidence this offseason, from how they’ve dealt with the Aaron Rodgers drama to betting on their ability to elevate players in year one. Their free agency and draft moves screamed this strategy.
Players such as quarterback Justin Fields, cornerback Brandon Stephens, and wide receiver Arian Smith have the tools to be great players. The Jets are betting on their coaches’ ability to get them there.
Unlike the offense, the defense will benefit from some experience. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks brings experience in that role as well as head coach. He’s built a staff around him that has been in equal or similar roles prior. This will hopefully spark a turnaround for the Jets defense, which regressed in 2024.
For Glenn and Darren Mougey, the learning curve begins immediately. With their tough schedule over the first six weeks, the Jets don’t have the luxury of easing into the season. If this new regime can guide the team through these early challenges, it will go a long way in establishing credibility.
One way or another, we will quickly learn what this version of the New York Jets is made of.
