The New York Jets have confirmed their first round of interviews for the vacant defensive coordinator position.
Gang Green “completed eight interviews this week” over Zoom with the full list of candidates, which featured former Jet Jim Leonhard.
That group included: Mathieu Araujo (Miami Dolphins cornerbacks coach), Ephraim Banda (Cleveland Browns safeties coach), DeMarcus Covington (Green Bay Packers defensive line coach and run game coordinator), Daronte Jones (Minnesota Vikings defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach), Jim Leonhard (Denver Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game cooridator), Wink Martindale (former Michigan defensive coordiator), Chris Harris (was the interim defensive cooridator for the Jets) and Jim O’Neil (Detroit Lions defensive assitant).
“The DC candidate list will shorten for in-person interviews, which will happen in the near future,” Jets senior reporter Eric Allen wrote in a press release.
A Former Jet Could Come Back Home
A name that certainly stands out on that list to Jets fans is former player Jim Leonhard.
Leonhard, 43, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He crossed over for a season with Rex Ryan with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008. Then when Ryan got the HC gig in New York, Leonhard followed him there.
Leonhard was with the Jets for three seasons during the glory years from 2009 through 2011. The Jets went to back-to-back AFC Championship games during that stretch.
The former Wisconsin product ended up playing for a decade in the league. Once his playing days were over, Leonhard quickly transitioned into coaching.
He has been coaching since 2016. Leonhard started at his alma mater and worked his way up from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator to interim head coach.
In 2024, he made the jump to the NFL level with the Broncos. That is where he crossed over with who would eventually become the Jets general manager, Darren Mougey.
This is a developing story and we’ll provide new details as they become available.
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