As he enters his first season as the New York Jets’ defensive coordinator, Brian Duker is one of just six DCs in the league who will not call plays to open the 2026 season.
After a lackluster year in 2025 with Steve Wilks handling those responsibilities, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn will assume the team’s defensive play-calling duties in 2026.
On Friday, Duker spoke to the media regarding his “dynamic” with Glenn.
“My dynamic with him is certainly just assisting him in terms of that role, still getting the guys ready every day and doing everything I can from that and trying to help make sure our systems are clean, our systems are in place, and everything is well run in that regard,” he said.
Duker worked alongside Glenn for three seasons with the Detroit Lions (2021-23) while Glenn was Detroit’s DC and Duker served as an assistant on his staff.
Having Duker as the DC, someone who knows Glenn’s system like the back of his hand, is highly beneficial for the head coach. By becoming the team’s defensive play caller, Glenn now has an additional responsibility as an HC—one that he didn’t have in 2025.
In his first year at the helm, even as a non-play-caller, he looked like he was in over his head when it came to managing the necessities of head-coaching, most notably clock management.
Glenn will now have more on his plate. Having a familiar face in Duker helping run the day-to-day operation could make that additional responsibility much easier to handle.
