The New York Jets’ defensive struggles reached a breaking point this week, culminating in the firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The move came one day after a lopsided 48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4), prompting head coach Aaron Glenn to make a change he felt was necessary following a season-long lack of defensive progress.
Speaking Tuesday night after participating in a children’s holiday shopping event with teammates, Jets linebacker Quincy Williams addressed the decision candidly, acknowledging both the disappointment and the responsibility the players feel for how the season unfolded.
“I mean, it’s very unfortunate, but the reality is we weren’t playing good as a defense,” Williams said, via AP's Dennis Waszak Jr. “And with him being the leader of the defense, I mean someone’s going to get it. Sad that it had to go down like that.”
Glenn explained that Wilks’ dismissal followed consecutive blowout losses, a 34-10 defeat to Miami Dolphins and the loss at Jacksonville, where the defense failed to show improvement.
Williams expanded on the players’ mindset moving forward, emphasizing accountability over blame as the Jets prepare to close out the season.
“The mindset of these next three weeks is what is it going to look like as a team?” Williams said. “And like A.G. tells us all the time, every time we step out on the field, it’s an evaluation period.”
The star linebacker Williams also addressed his personal feelings about Wilks’ firing and how the defense internalized the decision.
“Really just mostly feel like we took part in it just because we’re on the defense,” Quincy Williams added. “The biggest thing with me as a person, and I can talk for myself only, the call really doesn’t matter.”
With Wilks gone, defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Chris Harris has been named interim defensive coordinator.
As the Jets (3-11) head to New Orleans to face the Saints (4-1), the final weeks of the season will serve as both an audition and an evaluation — not just for the players, but for a defense searching for direction after a difficult year.
