The New York Jets could consider former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians as a potential replacement for Aaron Glenn. Arians led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl victory after the 2020 season and has an 80-48-1 regular-season record and a 6-3 postseason record as a head coach.
At 74, Arians recently said he is interested in returning to coaching after spending the past four years in an advisory role with the Buccaneers. He underwent open-heart surgery in February and told NFL insider Jordan Schultz that he is feeling healthy again.
“Now that I’m all healthy again, I got the itch (to coach) again,” Arians said. “So we will see.”
Arians’ experience and offensive background could appeal to the Jets, who have not reached the playoffs since 2010—the longest active postseason drought across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. He coached the Arizona Cardinals and Buccaneers over eight seasons, won a Super Bowl, and was named Coach of the Year twice.
There are also potential concerns. Arians has dealt with serious medical issues, has not coached in the NFL for five years, and would likely be a short-term option rather than a long-term solution.
## Arians Helped Bring Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay
Arians has said he played a role in the Buccaneers’ decision to sign quarterback Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay brought Mayfield in on a one-year, $3 million contract in 2023 to replace Tom Brady. He later signed a three-year, $100 million deal before the 2024 season, followed by a three-year, $165 million extension on September 8.
“That was one of my last decisions, you know, to get with Jason (Licht) and let’s go after this; I love this kid,” Arians said in April 2025. He recalled watching Mayfield during two Cleveland Browns games and attending a Friday practice in 2018, adding that he admired the quarterback’s competitiveness and how much his teammates valued him.
