On Wednesday, the New York Jets officially hired Frank Reich to be their new offensive coordinator. He played 14 seasons in the NFL as a QB, including 1996 with the Jets.
He is also reuniting with his former teammate and current head coach, Aaron Glenn, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Both played for the Jets in 1996, with Glenn as a cornerback. Glenn had played in New York from 1994 to 2001.
The Jets are coming off a season in which they went 3-14, finishing last in the AFC East. Glenn is off to his first full season as head coach. In January 2025, New York hired him after he previously been the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions.
Reich has an extensive coaching background. He had stints at both the college and professional levels. His last head coaching job was with the Carolina Panthers in 2023. Last year, he was the interim head coach at Stanford University.
His longest stint was with the Indianapolis Colts from 2006 to 2011. Reich went from intern to assistant to QB coach to WR coach, then to head coach from 2018 to 2022.
Also, Reich had jobs with the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, and Philadelphia Eagles.
As a player, Reich is best known as the QB for the Buffalo Bills in the 1993 AFC Wild Card game. Reich filled in for the injured Jim Kelly. Ultimately, he helped lead the Bills to a remarkable comeback victory, 41-38, after trailing 35-3 to the Houston Oilers.
In 1996, the Jets finished in last place in the AFC East with a 1-15 record.
