The New York Jets have been named as one of the best landing spots for Mike Tomlin if he returns to coaching.
The New York Jets will enter the 2026 NFL season ready to start building for the future, with the team not having many expectations to win.
It has been a long time since the Jets were relevant in the league, with them last making the playoffs during the 2010 season. New York has gone through multiple head coaches and quarterbacks during this drought, but nothing has worked.
2026 is more about setting up the franchise, seeing which players will be mainstays on the roster. But if the Jets can't start to become more competitive, there could be some big changes coming to the organization.
Many have speculated that head coach Aaron Glenn could be on the hot seat if the team can't improve this year. New York finished 3-14 in Glenn's first season, and if the organization were to stay around that total, it could spell the end of his tenure.
One name that could be worth noting for the Jets is Mike Tomlin, who is currently out of football for the upcoming season. Tomlin cut ties with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason after spending 19 years with the organization.
Tomlin is likely to try to return to coaching next season, and if he does, the Jets would make some sense. In fact, NFL analyst Moe Moton of Bleacher Report listed five teams that could make sense for Tomlin, and the Jets were one of the teams mentioned.
If the team moves on from Glenn, there wouldn't be many coaches better suited to take over than Tomlin. The veteran coach knows how to build a winning culture with a franchise, and he could help turn the Jets around.
With the Steelers, Tomlin did win a Super Bowl, and he brought the organization to the playoffs in the majority of years he was the head coach. Overall, Tomlin owned a record of 193-114-2 in the regular season with Pittsburgh, while going 8-12 in the playoffs.
Tomlin would have the allure of New York City to work with, while also being able to start fresh with a new quarterback of his choosing. The Jets don't currently have a franchise guy, and if they were to struggle again this season, New York would likely have a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Glenn has a chance to keep his job, but the team will need to start showing some improvement this year. But if they can't do so, Tomlin could loom large in the head coaching plans of the future for the organization.
