Former Pro Bowl linebacker Bart Scott is throwing his name into the ring to fill a vacancy on the New York Jets coaching staff in 2026.
NFL Insider Tony Pauline of “Essentially Sports” revealed that Scott is “interested” in becoming the next linebackers coach for the green and white. The team hasn’t approached him about a role, but Scott wanted to make his stance very clear.
“Scott’s representative, Harold Lewis, told me the former Pro Bowl linebacker wants to get into coaching and help his former team, the New York Jets, turn the franchise around,” Pauline wrote.
“Scott himself said that he would love to coach for the Jets or Ravens, and he’s eager to pass on his intellectual knowledge of the game to younger players. Scott made the point that former players such as Mike Vrabel and DeMeco Ryans have had great success coaching in the league because they relate to players and have experience with situations players face daily,” Pauline explained.
“He is also concerned that most organizations in the NFL just mold players to schemes implemented by their coaches rather than helping them learn the entire game and become complete players. Scott told me outright that the league lacks teachers,” Pauline said.
1st Big Step Was Accomplished
Before the Jets could fill any of the positional or assistant roles, they needed to hire a defensive coordinator.
Mission accomplished.
The green and white announced that they have hired Brian Duker for that role. He is a coach with previous experience working with Aaron Glenn. Now that the role has been filled, the team will work quickly to fill the remaining staff positions.
One of the positions that will need to be filled is the linebackers coach gig. Last year, Aaron Curry was hired away from the Pittsburgh Steelers to join the green and white. The entire LB room was a disaster in 2025 and Curry paid the price losing his job.
The Resume From His Playing Days Speaks for Itself
Scott, 45, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He went from his humble beginnings to an outstanding 11-year career in the pros.
The former Southern Illinois product spent the first seven years of his career with the Ravens. Then he followed his old coach Rex Ryan to the Jets for the final four seasons of his career. Scott was named a Pro Bowler once in 2006.
Across his career, he racked up 747 tackles, 25 sacks, four interceptions, 27 pass deflections, seven fumble recoveries, six forced fumbles, 75 tackles for loss, and 69 quarterback hits.
Scott appeared in 172 games and started in 118 of those.
A Desire to Return
Scott, affectionately known as the “Mad Backer,” is ready to return to the game he loves.
“Scott stepped away from football after the 2012 season to spend more time with his three children. He compared his present situation to Mike Singletary, his first linebacker coach in the NFL. Singletary, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, stepped away from the game for eleven years before returning to coach the Ravens linebackers in 2003,” Pauline wrote.
This offseason, there was some social media speculation that Scott could fill the Jets’ vacant DC gig. He was asked about it on his radio show and openly flirted with the possibility.
Scott ultimately told his radio partner, Chris Carlin, that he eventually wanted to get back into coaching. This could be his opportunity to get back into it.
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