The New York Jets held discussions with interim coach Jeff Ulbrich on Monday regarding their vacant head coach position.
Ulbrich has served as the team’s defensive coordinator for the last four years and took over as interim coach on October 8 after the dismissal of Robert Saleh, finishing the season with a record of 3-9.
At 47 years old, Ulbrich is the ninth candidate known to have interviewed for the head coaching role. Other candidates previously interviewed by the Jets include Darren Rizzi, Steve Spagnuolo, Mike Locksley, Mike Vrabel, Ron Rivera, Rex Ryan, Matt Nagy, and Aaron Glenn.
Additionally, the team is in the process of finding a new general manager, having already consulted with 13 candidates for that position.
After concluding a disappointing 5-12 season last week, Ulbrich expressed anticipation about meeting with owner Woody Johnson and the search committee regarding the possibility of becoming the full-time head coach.
“It was a great honor,” Ulbrich noted about his interim role. “One of the great honors of my football career.”
Despite the ongoing search for a new coach, Ulbrich managed the last few games of the season. He maintained that the situation was not awkward and focused on preparing the players for their matchups. He mentioned he would take time to reflect on his performance during the interim period.
“There are things that I need to improve on, and I have to critically evaluate my actions and find areas for growth,” he stated. “I’m far from perfect, and I look forward to the chance to thoroughly review every decision I made over the past 10 or 11 weeks.”
Ulbrich maintained his duties as the defensive coordinator while also serving as interim head coach, emphasizing the importance of continuity for the players during a challenging time. However, he also expressed that if he were to secure a full-time coaching position, he would prefer not to juggle both roles simultaneously.
“I would much rather have the opportunity to oversee all aspects of the team — offense, defense, and special teams,” Ulbrich explained. “There are moments on game days when my role as defensive coordinator takes up my focus, while I might be more effective as a head coach during those critical times. Conversely, there are instances when being the head coach can interfere with my preparation for the defense, and vice versa.”
“If I could envision the ideal situation going forward, I would not serve as both coordinator and head coach.”
Ulbrich, who played as a linebacker and special teams contributor for the San Francisco 49ers for a decade, joined Saleh’s original staff in 2021. Following his playing career, he spent time as an assistant coach under Pete Carroll with the Seahawks and also worked with Jim L. Mora at UCLA.
When Dan Quinn became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015, he appointed Ulbrich as the linebackers coach. Ulbrich later stepped into the role of defensive coordinator when interim coach Raheem Morris promoted him during the 2020 season.
