New York Jets Appoint Tanner Engstrand and Chris Banjo to Coaching Staff

On Wednesday, Steve Wilks, the former defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, agreed to join the Jets as their defensive coordinator.

These appointments complete the coaching staff under new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. Glenn, who was introduced as the new head coach on Monday, has worked closely with Engstrand over the past four years in Detroit. Engstrand, 42, began his tenure with the Lions in 2020 as an offensive assistant and remained on staff when Dan Campbell became head coach in 2021.

Engstrand was promoted to tight ends coach and passing game coordinator, helping lead one of the NFL’s top passing offenses, with the Lions scoring 564 points this season, the highest in the league.

Now joining the Jets, Engstrand could oversee an offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, if Rodgers decides to return for another season. Rodgers, who has one year left on his contract, has said he will take time to decide if he wants to continue playing. The Jets and Glenn will need to determine whether they want Rodgers to remain as their starting quarterback.

Wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who has posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to start his career, will be a key asset for Engstrand, regardless of the quarterback situation. The Jets also boast a strong running back group, including Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis.

The future of 32-year-old wide receiver Davante Adams is uncertain. Adams is set to earn $35.64 million in each of the next two years, and the Jets might look to restructure his contract or release him. Adams has also mentioned that Rodgers’ future could influence his own decision.

Engstrand, a former quarterback at Grossmont College and San Diego State, began his coaching career in 2005 at the University of San Diego under Jim Harbaugh. He spent 10 years there in various roles, including assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. Engstrand then joined Harbaugh at Michigan in 2018 as an offensive analyst.

In 2020, Engstrand served as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the DC Defenders in the XFL before moving to the Lions.

Banjo, who takes over from Brant Boyer as the Jets’ special teams coordinator, is a former NFL safety and special teams player, having played for 10 seasons with teams such as Jacksonville, Green Bay, New Orleans, and Arizona.

After retiring in 2022, Banjo joined the Denver Broncos as assistant special teams coach, where he worked with special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica and assistant head coach Mike Westhoff, a noted expert in special teams.