While there might not be answers until the end of this upcoming week or later, the Detroit Lions’ Wild Card loss could have Pittsburgh Steelers finding out sooner than later if Arthur Smith will become the New York Jets head coach. According to NFL Insider Jonathan Jones, Smith isn’t the frontrunner. Jones reports Lions’ DC Aaron Glenn is at the top of New York’s list and if they can land him, Smith’s odds of staying in Pittsburgh skyrocket.
Sunday, Jones said Glenn is No. 1 on the Jets and New Orleans Saints’ lists.
Had the Lions beat the Washington Commanders Saturday night, the timeline to hire Lions’ assistants in OC Ben Johnson and Glenn would’ve been extended past next weekend. Instead, their futures could be decided in the coming days.
If New York misses out on a top target like Glenn, Smith could enter the picture as a serious candidate. The Jets’ organization has been high on him for years, a runner-up to Robert Saleh for the job in 2021 and someone they attempted to hire in a consulting role last year before the Steelers offered their coordinator gig.
The Jets have interviewed more than a dozen candidates making fallback options tough to predict. But Smith is as good a guess as any if it’s not going to be Glenn or any of the top names of the cycle. It won’t be Ben Johnson, who did not interview for the gig.
Smith has also interviewed for the Chicago Bears job but seems unlikely to land it. They’ve also had a far-and-wide search, even interviewing former Tennessee Titans RB and current college head coach Eddie George, with Ben Johnson and Mike McCarthy considered favorites. If neither job works out, Smith will return to patrol the Steelers’ sideline in 2025 and hope for a better finish than the offensive collapse they endured to close out 2024.
