The New York Jets are shrouded in storylines as they head into the 2026 season. They have a reshaped coaching staff, fresh optimism, and yet another chance to build lasting success. It’s created an atmosphere that feels noticeably different from recent years.
Yet, amid all the changes, one question stands out:
Can Frank Reich provide the offense the Jets have been starved of in recent years?
This isn’t a criticism of Reich’s background. In many ways, it’s the opposite.
The Jets hired a highly experienced offensive coach who has been a successful coordinator. Aaron Glenn wanted experience to stabilize his staff, and Reich certainly meets that need. The organization has praised his flexibility, football smarts, and skill in maximizing his players’ strengths.
However, experience alone does not answer the crucial mystery: can Reich build an offense that excels in today’s NFL—not the NFL of five years ago?
This uncertainty makes Reich a key part of the storyline as the season begins. The Jets are banking on experience.
After parting ways with offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand following the 2025 season, the Jets chose a very different path. Instead of hiring another young, rising offensive assistant, they opted for one of the league’s most seasoned offensive coaches.
On one hand, after witnessing the dumpster fire that was the 2025 Jets season, this decision makes sense. On the flip side, it’s eerily similar to what the Jets did in 2023, when they parted ways after one season with a young, innovative first-time play-caller, Mike LaFleur, to bring in a grizzled veteran OC, Nathaniel Hackett.
We all know how that turned out.
Reich has been around NFL offenses for decades. His experience is significantly deeper than that of many current NFL coordinators. Glenn described him as someone who can adjust offensive ideas to match his players rather than forcing them into a strict scheme.
On paper, this sounds exactly like what the Jets need, but in reality, a good reputation does not guarantee results (see 2023/2024 offenses under Martini Nate).
A career full of highs—and questions
Reich’s coaching career has seldom been typical.
At his best, he has coordinated efficient, quarterback-friendly offenses that combine timing, play-action, and aggressive situational strategies. His work in Philadelphia led to a Super Bowl win, and his early years in Indianapolis showed he could improve quarterback play.
However, his more recent experiences have produced disastrous outcomes.
His time as head coach in Indianapolis ended with an in-season firing in 2022. One year later, as the Carolina Panthers’ head coach, he was fired 11 games into his first season after a 1-10 start, where offensive inconsistency remained a constant issue. Reich’s brief return to coaching at Stanford was seen as a reset before going back to the NFL.
Now, the Jets want Reich to show that his offensive strategy still works against more complex NFL defenses.
This isn’t an impossible task; it’s just one that hasn’t been answered yet.
Can his system keep up?
The biggest question is not whether Reich understands football—most agree that he does. The real concern is whether his offense can effectively challenge modern NFL defenses.
Today’s top offenses rely on pre-snap movement, condensed formations, explosive concepts that allow elite skill-position athletes to excel, and simple reads for quarterbacks, all while forcing defenses to stay on their toes and hesitate.
The Jets must believe Reich can turn the corner and evolve with these trends, rather than sticking to the same somewhat-vanilla concepts that were effective earlier in his career. Glenn specifically mentioned Reich’s adaptability as a reason for hiring him.
Still, adapting is easier to talk about than to show in practice.
Until games start, no one truly knows how much this offense will resemble Reich’s past systems or how much it will align with today’s changing NFL.
The QB connection
Every offensive coordinator is ultimately judged by how the quarterback performs. Whether the quarterback is a veteran or a younger player still developing, Reich’s main job is to foster an environment that supports efficient decision-making and reduces mistakes.
Historically, Reich has been good at simplifying reads without making offenses predictable, and the Jets are counting on this balance. If Geno Smith and the offense protect the ball, improve efficiency on third downs, and create explosive plays, Reich will get a lot of credit.
But if the offense struggles in the red zone or fails to score consistently, the coordinator will inevitably face criticism. Unfortunately, after missing the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, there isn’t much room for middle ground for the Jets.
Jets fans have understandably become impatient. Years of offensive disappointments have shortened the timeline for everyone involved.
This creates an interesting dynamic.
Typically, a new offensive coordinator is given several months to install terminology, build chemistry, and find what works best. In New York, patience often runs out quickly. If the offense struggles early on, outside pressure will rise almost immediately.
On the flip side, a fast start could completely change how people view Reich’s hiring. Few coordinators start a season with such dramatically different potential outcomes.
The big unknown
Ironically, Reich is both the safest and riskiest hire on the coaching staff.
He’s safe because his background speaks for itself. He’s risky because his recent coaching transgressions raise legitimate concerns.
The Jets aren’t measuring what Reich did in Philadelphia or Indianapolis years ago. They’re assessing what he can do with the offense here and now in 2026.
Can he create explosive plays against more athletic defenses?
Can he make the most of the talent already on the roster?
Can he consistently find solutions when defenses adjust?
Can he bring Geno Smith back to relevance?
Those questions won’t be answered during training camp, nor will they be answered in preseason. Only meaningful regular-season games can provide those answers.
Does the season depend on Reich?
Every NFL season ultimately comes down to quarterback play and offensive efficiency.
The Jets understand this. Aaron Glenn understands this. Frank Reich certainly understands this.
If the Geno Smith offense becomes efficient, creative, and productive, the Jets—with skill players such as Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Omar Cooper Jr., Mason Taylor, and Kenyon Sadiq—have enough talent to compete with anyone in the AFC.
However, if offensive inconsistency persists, many improvements elsewhere on the roster may go unnoticed.
Not because Reich lacks qualifications.
Not because people doubt his coaching ability.
But because he is the bridge between potential and production.
The Jets have invested in proven experience, hoping that Reich can modernize his approach while bringing stability to one of the NFL’s most scrutinized offenses. There are valid reasons for optimism.
Yet, optimism alone isn’t enough. Until the offense shows sustained success on Sundays, Frank Reich will remain the most intriguing variable in New York’s quest for relevance.
For now, though, it all remains unanswered—and that makes Reich the biggest question heading into the 2026 season. Buckle up, Jets fans.
