Former NFL head coach Frank Reich has returned to the New York Jets after being appointed as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
The Jets confirmed Reich’s hiring on Wednesday, eight days after parting company with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, as head coach Aaron Glenn continues a major overhaul of his coaching staff.
“Frank has a rare combination of experience, creativity and calm under pressure,” Glenn said in a statement.
“He’s lived this game from every angle, as a quarterback in this league and as a coach who’s led offenses at the highest level. He understands offense and how to use the strengths of players, and I’m looking forward to how he will help this team have success.”
Reich, 64, joins the Jets following a significant shake-up that saw Glenn dismiss nine assistants from his original staff. He becomes the Jets’ 12th different playcaller in the past 16 years.
The appointment brings extensive experience to a struggling offense. Reich previously served as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2018 to 2022 and the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
He inherits a Jets unit that finished 29th in both scoring and total yards last season and faces major uncertainty at quarterback.
Glenn, who went 3-14 in his first season as head coach, is expected to retain control of the defense while handing full responsibility for the offense to Reich.
Reich was one of several candidates interviewed for the role, with Darrell Bevell, Ronald Curry, Greg Roman and Lunda Wells also holding talks with the club.
After leaving the NFL in 2024, Reich spent the 2025 season as Stanford University’s interim head coach, posting a 4-8 record before remaining with the program as a senior adviser.
His most recent NFL tenure ended abruptly in Carolina, where he was dismissed after a 1-10 start during his first season in charge.
Despite that setback, Reich brings a strong offensive pedigree. He served as an offensive coordinator with the Chargers and Eagles, winning a Super Bowl with Philadelphia in 2017, and guided three top-10 scoring offenses during his time with the Colts.
In New York, one of Reich’s immediate tasks will be addressing the quarterback position. Justin Fields and Brady Cook are the only quarterbacks currently under contract, with the Jets expected to explore veteran and draft options.
There are also questions over the future of running back Breece Hall, who is approaching free agency, although wide receiver Garrett Wilson returns fit after missing significant time with a knee injury and the offensive line brings back four starters.
Reich played 14 seasons in the NFL as a quarterback, most notably as the Buffalo Bills’ long-time backup between 1985 and 1994.
