The New York Jets have made their quarterback plan clear heading into 2026: it’s Geno Smith, full stop. According to ClutchPoints, head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed Smith as the starter shortly after the Jets acquired him from the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting him with the franchise that drafted him back in 2013.
Now Glenn is pairing Smith with a new offensive coordinator he believes can get the best out of him. The Jets hired Frank Reich to run the offense, and Glenn has framed the move as a potential turning point for both the team and its quarterback.
Rich Cimini of ESPN reported on X that Glenn is optimistic about what the Smith-Reich pairing can produce this season. “Man, I think him joining Frank (Reich), his best years I feel will be these years here,” Glenn reportedly said, per Cimini’s post —
A couple of lines from Aaron Glenn on the same show…
On Geno Smith: "Man, I think him joining Frank (Reich), his best years I feel will be these years here."
On acknowledging mistakes from last season: "I didn't call the defense last year. That was not a good decision by me."… https://t.co/MKzcs7A4gd
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 11, 2026
Reich Brings a Resume Built for a Reclamation Job
Reich isn’t a first-time playcaller learning on the fly. He’s run offenses as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers, and before that, he coordinated offenses for the then-San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. That’s the kind of background the Jets wanted after finishing near the bottom of the league offensively a year ago.
Smith is the reclamation project Reich has been brought in to fix. His one season in Las Vegas was rough by any measure — a 2-13 record as a starter, 3,025 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and a league-worst 17 interceptions. That stretch is now well behind him, at least in terms of the calendar, but it’s the swing factor Glenn and the Jets are betting they can reverse.
The bet isn’t blind faith. Smith made a Pro Bowl as recently as 2023 and strung together productive seasons in Seattle before his one difficult year with the Raiders. Glenn and the Jets are wagering that version of Smith is closer to the norm than the exception.
Smith’s Recent Body of Work
| Season | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Seattle Seahawks | Pro Bowl selection |
| 2024 | Seattle Seahawks | Career-high 578 attempts, missed playoffs |
| 2025 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2-13 as starter, league-leading 17 INTs |
Training camp reporting this month backs up Glenn’s public confidence. Reich has repeatedly praised Smith’s command of the offense and his physical shape entering his 14th NFL season, telling reporters recently that Smith looks like he’s playing at the level of someone years younger. Whether that carries into meaningful wins is the only question that will actually settle it — and camp praise from a new coordinator is common around the league this time of year.
What Comes Next
None of this gets tested until the games count. The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2010, and last season’s 3-14 finish put real pressure on both Glenn and his roster-building decisions. Reich’s job is to build an offense flexible enough to hide Smith’s weaknesses while leaning into what he does well — timing throws, veteran pocket management, and getting the ball to Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall in space.
The preseason opener is close, which will be the first real look at how the Smith-Reich offense functions with something on the line. Everything before that, including Glenn’s public confidence, is still projection rather than proof.
