Report: Jets hiring Brian Duker over Wink Martindale, other candidates for defensive coordinator

The New York Jets have hired a defensive coordinator, and Wink Martindale didn’t get the job. The longtime NFL assistant and former Michigan coach was passed over by Aaron Glenn and company for former Miami Dolphins defensive assist Brian Duker, per NFL Network.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed the news that New York has made their decision: “Jets are hiring former Dolphins pass game coordinator Brian Duker as their defensive coordinator, as NFL Network reported.”

While Duker is joining the Jets from Miami, he has experience working with Glenn. He spent 2021-23 in various roles as a defensive assistant in Detroit, as the now-Jets head coach lead the Lions defense. At 36-years-old, he’ll get his best shot yet in the NFL in New York.

As for Martindale, what happens next remains to be seen. Him getting the Jets gig would’ve represented a bit of an ironic twist. His last NFL gig came with the Jets’ crosstown rival in the New York Giants.

While it started off with a bang, his tenure came to an unceremonious end. The franchise and coach parted ways due to friction with then-head coach Brian Daboll. 

After the controversy, Martindale returned to the college level after 21 years in the NFL. Michigan wasn’t able to capture their championship magic with him in charge of the defense and Moore leading the way, but they put together two solid seasons in Ann Arbor before it was blown to bits. 

Moore was fired after a highly-publicized controversy, and Martindale wasn’t retained by new head coach Kyle Whittingham. The NFL always seemed like the more likely option as the dust settled on his future, and the Jets would represent a chance to work with a second-year head coach in Aaron Glenn still trying to find his footing. 

From the beginning of their defensive coordinator search, Martindale has been viewed as the “early front-runner” for the gig, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. The two actually touched base before the season even ended. 

“According to multiple league sources, Glenn [Jets head coach Aaron Glenn] actually spoke with Martindale before the end of the season, and there’s a feeling that he is the early front-runner for the job,” Rosenblatt wrote.

Regardless of the perception of the gig, the Jets and Martindale couldn’t come to an agreement, and that means Duker will be the man in charge of the unit in 2026. We’ll see how he does, but for the team’s sake, New York is hoping he’s up to the challenge.