The New York Jets held an interview with Joe Whitt Jr., the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, on Sunday, as they seek a new head coach.
Whitt is in his inaugural season directing the Commanders’ defense, a unit that notably secured five turnovers during their impressive 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions on Saturday night, marking their advance to the NFC Championship for the first time in 33 years.

Whitt represents the 16th individual to interview for the Jets’ coaching position. The team has also been actively seeking candidates for their general manager role, conducting a total of 15 interviews for that position as well.
The 46-year-old coach is one of several notable candidates in the mix. Other interviewees include Brian Flores, Aaron Glenn, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Mike Locksley, Josh McCown, Matt Nagy, Ron Rivera, Darren Rizzi, Rex Ryan, Bobby Slowik, Arthur Smith, Steve Spagnuolo, Jeff Ulbrich, and Mike Vrabel.
Notably, Vrabel has already accepted a head coach position with the New England Patriots. Ulbrich, who filled in as the Jets’ interim head coach for 12 games after Robert Saleh was dismissed, has secured a role as the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

Joe Whitt’s coaching journey began in college football, where he had tenures at institutions like Auburn, The Citadel, and Louisville. He entered the NFL in 2007 with the Atlanta Falcons as the assistant defensive backs coach under Bobby Petrino. After his time in Atlanta, he held positions with Green Bay and Cleveland, before returning to the Falcons as a pass game coordinator and secondary coach in 2020, working alongside Dan Quinn, who is the current head coach of the Commanders.
Quinn ultimately brought Whitt to Washington, marking a new chapter in Whitt’s coaching career. As he advances through the interview process, Whitt’s extensive background and recent success could play a critical role in the Jets’ decision-making regarding their future head coach.