Jets Host Big Ten Coach for Surprise Head Coaching Interview

No teams is digging deeper for head coaching candidates during this cycle than the New York Jets.

The team has interviewed, or is expected to interview, hot candidates like Detroit Lion defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowik. The list also includes former Jets head coach and ESPN personality Rex Ryan, Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo and former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders HC Ron Rivera.

The already-broad list got even broader on Friday, with the news that the Jets have also interviewed Maryland football coach Mike Locksley.

We have completed an interview with Mike Locksley for our Head Coach position.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 10, 2025

Locksley is a very unconventional candidate for the job. The sixth-year Terrapins coach has a career record of 35–67 and hasn't won more than eight games in a season. What's more, he's never coached at the NFL in any capacity, and is coming off of a 4–8 season in College Park, with just one Big Ten win.

Maryland is a difficult Big Ten job, and Locksley certainly impressed while serving as offensive coordinator under Nick Saban between head coaching stints at New Mexico and Maryland. Even so, it is hard to see a sub-.500 college coach jumping right to the pros. As New York works through its process, this may be more of an indication that Locksley has some interest in making the jump to the pros as an assistant down the line.

Locksley is the only current college coach that has been attached to the Jets opening as of Friday.