The New York Jets will have a new defensive coordinator for the final three games of the 2025 season. Head coach Aaron Glenn dismissed DC Steve Wilks following Week 15, an embarrassing 48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Glenn named defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Chris Harris as interim.
Exactly who is Coach Harris?
Harris played eight NFL seasons as a safety from 2005-2012. The former Louisiana-Monroe defensive back immediately got into coaching at the conclusion of his playing career. Harris was named as a Bears defensive quality control coach in 2013.
Harris has steadily climbed the coaching ranks ever since. He became an assistant defensive backs coach with the Chargers (2016-19) before getting his first legitimate gig as the Commanders’ defensive backs position coach (2020-22).
He received his first big-time coaching break with the Tennessee TItans in 2023 when Mike Vrabel named him his defensive pass-game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. After Vrabel was fired, his successor Brian Callahan kept Harris in that same role (2024). It was a forced marriage, and Harris was allowed to leave Tennessee this past offseason.
Glenn hired Harris in a similar role, naming him DB coach and passing game coordinator. Harris has interviewed for defensive coordinator vacancies in recent offseasons and is well regarded in NFL circles. He was the logical in-house candidate to replace Wilks.
Harris will receive every opportunity to parlay his three-game job interview into the Jets’ permanent DC role. Actually doing so won’t be easy. Harris inherits a Jets unit that ranks 30th in scoring defense and 28th EPA with a historic zero interceptions through 14 games.
Harris is a high-quality NFL coach. He’ll face a number of challenges to actually prove that in East Rutherford based on the impossible situation he’s inherited. Hopefully Harris’ talents will be displayed with the Jets, but personnel issues may hamstring his upside.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Who is New York Jets interim defensive coordinator Chris Harris?
Reporting by Justin Melo, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
