Jets HC Aaron Glenn changes mind about Steve Wilks after blowout loss to Jaguars

Per Randy Lange of the New York Jets' website, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn suggested shortly after his club fell to 3-11 via a 48-20 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday that he still backed defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

Glenn must have experienced a change of heart regarding the subject after he slept on things. 

Aaron Glenn makes big change after back-to-back losses

Glenn spoke with reporters on Monday morning and confirmed that he has relieved Wilks of his duties. Defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Chris Harris will serve as the Jets' interim defensive coordinator through Week 18. 

"I just thought from last week going to this week, the improvement wasn't there," Glenn said about the move. "And I thought it was time to make a change. I'm going to make the decision that's best for this organization at all times, and it's my job to make sure I continue to evaluate everything that's going on. ...That's my job as the head coach, and I just thought this was the time for me to make that decision."

The Jets stripped Wilks of two key contributors when they acquired multiple assets for cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline. More recently, the Jets dropped four of their last five games. They were blown out to the tune of 34-10 by the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 7. 

According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Jets surrendered scores on eight of the first nine series of Sunday's contest in Jacksonville. Gang Green tallied no sacks and only two quarterback hits, while Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence passed for five touchdowns and also added a rushing score. 

What Aaron Glenn wants from the Jets over final three games

"I wanna see consistent improvement," Glenn said about his expectations for the Jets' defense over the final three games of the season. "I wanna see structure that's consistent. I wanna see play that's consistent. I want to see the character, the culture of this football team come together. ...In general, I want to see the culture of this football team these last three games."

The Jets next play at the 4-10 New Orleans Saints on Dec. 21. Shortly after Glenn spoke, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Jets as 4.5-point underdogs for that game. 

According to Tankathon, the Jets began Monday holding the fifth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.