NFL news: Jets fire defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with 3 games left in season
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The New York Jets fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games left on the 2025 schedule after giving up 48 points in their last loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This move comes on the heels of Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense impacting the Jets’ defense, which has been one of the worst teams in terms of points this season (28.4 per game).
Jets first-year head coach Aaron Glenn made the announcement Monday despite previously saying he believed in Wilks’ plan. Coming from a defensive background, Glenn made the move to have defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Chris Harris take over in Wilks’ absence.
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New York Jets Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks during a preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 16, 2025. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
The move also comes a week after the Miami Dolphins gained 34 points in a lopsided loss to the Jets.
“I felt like this was the best decision for the organization at this time,” Glenn said. New York Post. “I’ve said this from the beginning. I’m evaluating the players. I’m evaluating the coaches. I’m evaluating myself. I felt like this was the best decision for the team and the organization right now.”
Wilks has had a rough go of it personally in recent seasons. He hasn’t spent more than a year with the same team since his stint with the Carolina Panthers from 2012-17. He was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 but remained on the job for another year after a 3-13 record.
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Wilks then became the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns in 2019, but he only stayed there for one season. He retired from football in 2020 before heading to Missouri to serve in the same role. Wilks was with the Panthers again in 2022 before joining the San Francisco 49ers on their way to the Super Bowl as defensive coordinator.
It was a surprising decision to see the 49ers move on after one season with Wilks, who did not coach in 2024 before joining the Jets this season. Once again, he will have to look elsewhere if he wants to continue coaching.
All the Jets have to do this season is evaluate everything. They were eliminated from the playoffs for the 15th straight season, the longest drought in professional sports. Sunday’s loss marked a 3-11 season.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks of the New York Jets watches the NFL 2025 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 7, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)
Every player and coach is being evaluated for New York, and the defense has a lot of work to do. It doesn’t help that stars like Quinnen Williams (Dallas Cowboys) and Sauce Gardner (Indianapolis Colts) are traded before the NFL deadline, but the Jets are on pace for the second-most points in franchise history.
And in a game where winning the turnover battle was key, the Jets had just two shutouts all season but failed to make an interception through 14 games. This currently has the longest hitting streak in the NFL.
The Jaguars nearly took the lead over the Jets, scoring on eight of the first nine possessions.
“I didn’t think there was any improvement from last week to this week,” Glenn said. “I thought it was time to make a change.
“I want to see continued improvement.”
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The Jets will aim to do so in their remaining three games to build momentum heading into 2026. It begins Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, a 4-10 team who have upset the NFC South division after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers in their last two contests.
New York will finish its season against the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills; Both are aiming for the AFC East title, which the Jets could potentially be a spoiler for.
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