The New York Jets continue to dip into familiar territory as head coach Aaron Glenn reshapes his coaching staff. After making sweeping changes, Glenn has once again turned to Detroit, hiring another assistant from Dan Campbell’s Lions staff.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter reports that the Jets are bringing on Lions assistant tight ends coach Seth Ryan to serve as their new passing game coordinator. The hire carries a personal significance for Ryan, whose family has deep ties to the organization. His father, Rex Ryan, and grandfather, Buddy Ryan, both spent parts of their coaching careers with the Jets, making this move something of a homecoming.
Ryan entered the coaching ranks in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach with the Los Angeles Chargers under then-head coach Anthony Lynn. When Lynn was dismissed in Los Angeles and later joined Dan Campbell’s first staff in Detroit as offensive coordinator, Ryan followed him to the Lions. He initially worked as an assistant wide receivers coach.
Although Lynn lasted only one season in Detroit, Ryan remained with the organization and became a steady presence on Campbell’s staff. Following a major coaching shakeup during the 2025 offseason — which saw eight assistants depart — Ryan transitioned into the role of assistant tight ends coach.
Working closely with wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle-El, Ryan played a key role in the development of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. In 2024, St. Brown earned First-Team All-Pro honors for the second time and was selected to his third consecutive Pro Bowl. That season, he finished near the top of the league in multiple categories, including receptions (115), first-down catches (72), touchdowns (12), and receiving yards (1,263).
Ryan also helped guide Williams to a breakout campaign, as the receiver surpassed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career while setting a personal best with seven touchdowns. Together, St. Brown and Williams became just the second wide receiver duo in franchise history to each record at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in the same season.
Before taking over as Jets head coach, Glenn spent four seasons as Detroit’s defensive coordinator from 2021 through 2024. Once hired by New York, he immediately began assembling a staff filled with familiar faces from his time with the Lions. Among those hires were Steve Heiden as offensive line coach, Tanner Engstrand as offensive coordinator, and Dre Bly, who previously coached Detroit’s cornerbacks.
Following a disappointing debut season that ended with a 3–14 record and a last-place finish in the AFC East, Glenn made additional staff changes, dismissing eight assistants — including Engstrand and Bly. In search of replacements, he again looked toward Detroit, even attempting to bring over Lions defensive assistant and safeties coach Jim O’Neill to fill the defensive coordinator role.
When O’Neill chose to remain in Detroit on a new deal, Glenn pivoted and hired Brian Duker instead — another coach with whom he had previously worked during Campbell’s first year with the Lions.
Given Glenn’s history and connections, returning to the Lions’ coaching tree to round out his staff was hardly unexpected. As he looks to rebound from a difficult first season in New York, familiarity and trust appear to be guiding his decisions as he continues rebuilding the Jets’ coaching infrastructure.
