With Aaron Glenn now at the helm, the New York Jets have reshaped their culture and identity ahead of the 2025 season.
That transformation extends to every unit, particularly with the new sheriff in town, the same man who’s intent on keeping the “special” in special teams.
Speaking with reporters during OTAs (with Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo on hand), special teams coordinator Chris Banjo outlined the identity he wants his group to embody this season.
“Honestly, just competitive as hell,” said Banjo. “You see where special teams is going right now, sometimes I like to call it a lost art because not as many organizations really emphasize it, and I completely understand it. But I think we are very, very fortunate to have a head coach who really believes in the approach of special teams. So, when we step on the field, we just want to make sure we are competing every single play that we have the opportunity to do so.”
Banjo, 35, transitioned to coaching in 2023, just a year removed from wrapping up a decade-long NFL playing career.
He joined the Denver Broncos as a special teams assistant, stepping into a role on a unit that had long struggled. In 2022, Denver ranked 29th in special teams DVOA, marking the seventh consecutive season in which they finished 24th or worse.
His impact was felt quickly. In Banjo’s first season on staff, the Broncos jumped to ninth in DVOA, their best since 2001. They improved again in 2024, climbing to fourth, Denver’s highest mark since 1997.
Over those two seasons, the Broncos tied the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL’s best combined special-teams DVOA, a dramatic turnaround for a team that had posted the league’s worst average from 2016 to 2022.
This offseason, the Jets hired Banjo before ultimately parting ways with kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Morstead, continuing a youth movement on special teams.
Banjo takes over a unit that ranked 24th in DVOA last season, hoping to lead a turnaround by getting them to play “competitive as hell” in 2025.