Jon Gruden turned down inquiry from Jets, Aaron Glenn despite interest in return, per report

The New York Jets and coach Aaron Glenn contacted Jon Gruden about a role on his coaching staff, but the former Raiders and Buccaneers coach turned down those overtures, The Athletic reports.

The Athletic reported the Jets reached out to several offensive-minded coaches. They parted ways Tuesday with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand after the original plan was to retain him but bring in veteran help to call plays in 2026, according to the report.

During Glenn's first season, the Jets finished 3-14, much of that tumultuous finish falling on offensive ineptitude. Offseason signee Justin Fields struggled at quarterback, leading to an NFL-high 11.7% sack rate prior to his midseason benching. Even after inserting veteran Tyrod Taylor into the lineup at quarterback, the Jets finished with 140.3 passing yards per game — second-worst of any team over the past five years, only ahead of the 2022 Chicago Bears.

Gruden shared details on life away from the NFL since resigning from the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2021 during an extensive interview with CBS Sports in September 2024, in which he revealed staying largely out of the public eye and dedicating much of his time to studying game film and mentoring players privately. 

Gruden said in August he would love to get back into coaching. He worked as a consultant on the New Orleans Saints' coaching staff during the 2023 offseason, but has not held a forward-facing NFL role since his time with the Raiders.

Gruden's NFL coaching career began in 1998 with the Oakland Raiders, where he went 38-26 over four season with two AFC West titles. He won Super Bowl XXXVII as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 and made the playoffs twice more over the next six seasons with the NFC South franchise.