“Who would replace him?”

That is the message being echoed by a large portion of New York Jets fans who are wary of Gang Green going one-and-done with head coach Aaron Glenn.

With just one game left in Glenn’s first, and maybe only season as New York’s head coach, it has become obvious that the team must part ways with him this offseason.

For all of the Jets fans who don’t believe New York would be able to find an upgrade over Glenn this offseason, here are six coaching candidates who would be an immediate upgrade.

Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator

Kingsbury received plenty of buzz in the 2025 coaching cycle; however, he decided to remain with the Commanders as their offensive coordinator.

Currently in his second season with Washington in that role, the former Jets backup QB helped guide Jayden Daniels to arguably the best rookie season in NFL history, capped off by an appearance in the NFC championship game.

He is most known for his time with the Arizona Cardinals, where he served as the team’s head coach for four seasons, leading the Cardinals to a 28-37-1 record. Under Kingsbury’s watch, Kyler Murray developed into one of the league’s premier dual-threat options before his production dipped in the years following Kingsbury’s firing. Both of Murray’s Pro Bowl appearances came under Kingsbury.

If Kingsbury is willing to leave Washington for a promotion, he would be a perfect fit with the Jets. New York needs someone who has experience developing a young quarterback in the NFL, and Kingsbury has done just that, while working with a multitude of other highly drafted QBs at the college level, such as Baker Mayfield, Johnny Manziel, Patrick Mahomes, and Caleb Williams.

Josh McCown, Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach

McCown, 45, is an up-and-coming name throughout the league’s coaching space.

The former Jet did a tremendous job as Sam Darnold’s quarterbacks coach in Minnesota during the 2024 season, helping resurrect his NFL career. While this is only McCown’s third season as an NFL coach, all of which have been spent as a quarterbacks coach with no play-calling experience, it is all but certain that he will land an NFL head coaching job in the coming years.

After retiring following the 2020 season, McCown interviewed for the Jets’ head coach vacancy this offseason and for the Houston Texans’ job in 2021 and 2022.

Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks OC

Kubiak, 38, carries one of the league’s most recognizable last names, but his resume now speaks for itself. The son of former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl-winning coach Gary Kubiak, Klint has emerged as one of the more intriguing coordinators expected to draw interest once the offseason coaching market opens.

He is in his first year with the Seahawks on Mike Macdonald’s staff. His NFL path has included stops as an offensive coordinator in both New Orleans (2024) and Minnesota (2021), as well as passing game coordinator roles in San Francisco (2023) and Denver (2022), giving him experience across multiple systems and coaching staffs while learning under offensive genius Kyle Shanahan.

Under Kubiak this season, the Seahawks’ offense has been electric, ranking second-best in points per game (29.4). Kubiak has helped Sam Darnold lead the NFL in net yards per pass attempt (7.73).

Kubiak has shown enough to suggest he can handle being a head coach in the league and be trusted to develop a young quarterback, making him a natural fit with the Jets.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills OC

Still just 36 years old, Brady has already stacked together a resume that belies his age. His rise began with a breakout 2019 season as LSU’s passing game coordinator, followed by an overachieving 2020 campaign as Carolina’s offensive coordinator.

Brady received head coaching interest as early as 2021, when he interviewed with the Jets before Robert Saleh was hired. He returned to Carolina as the OC and moved on to Buffalo, where he spent two seasons as Josh Allen’s quarterbacks coach.

Midway through the 2023 season, Buffalo promoted Brady to interim offensive coordinator, and he has held onto the job ever since.

Under Brady, the Bills rank second in the NFL with 29.4 points per game since 2024. Brady has brought balance to a Buffalo offense that struggled to find it before his arrival; since 2024, the Bills rank fourth in the NFL with 143.4 rushing yards per game.

This offseason is expected to mark the second straight coaching cycle in which Brady draws legitimate head-coaching buzz. In 2025, Brady interviewed with the Jaguars, Bears, and Saints.

If he is interested in taking a head coaching job, similar to Kubiak, Brady would make perfect sense with the Jets, a team expected to take a quarterback high in the 2026 NFL draft. That is a strong selling point to attract young, innovative offensive coaches.

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers HC (if fired)

On Monday’s edition of ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” NFL insider Adam Schefter shared that it is “in the realm of possibility” that Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers could part ways this offseason.

Tomlin, 53, has spent 19 seasons in Pittsburgh, leading the Steelers to a .500-plus season every year. Meanwhile, the Jets have not had a winning season since 2015, and last appeared in the playoffs in 2010 (when Tomlin’s Steelers ended their run).

The 53-year-old will go down as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. He is one of the few HCs who is “quarterback-proof”. While he won his lone Super Bowl with future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, he has consistently produced .500-plus seasons with quarterbacks like Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, and an aging Russell Wilson.

If Tomlin shakes loose this offseason, he would undoubtedly be a top name around the league, and the Jets should be one of the first teams to bring him in for an interview. He doesn’t bring the modern offensive upside that some of the other candidates offer, but his floor is appealing for a Jets franchise that is itching for as little as a .500 season.

Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins HC (if fired)

McDaniel is a polarizing option.

This is the second year in a row that he is on the hot seat, and it remains a mystery whether or not Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross will can the offensive mastermind. They fired general manager Chris Grier in-season, so if they are looking for a complete reset, McDaniel could be next to go once the regular season concludes.

Personally, I think hiring McDaniel would be a wise decision for the Jets. Throughout almost four full seasons in Miami, he has led the Dolphins to a 35-22 record, including two consecutive playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023. McDaniel’s innovation and creative play designs on offense are truly valuable and make him a compelling option.

Offensive-minded nerds are the future of the NFL, folks.