When Aaron Glenn became the New York Jets‘ head coach in January 2026, he had a specific list of names he wanted alongside him. Karl Dunbar’s was near the top of it.
The Jets’ first-year head coach addressed the media on Tuesday and made clear that bringing Dunbar in as the team’s defensive line coach was never a complicated decision, per the New York Jets on X.
“I was a scout here when he was coaching here, and this just over time. I call him Dundee so you hear me say Dundee, that’s what I’m talking about. So over time we met up at the combine a couple of times just to talk d-line play and I was always intrigued about his techniques that he taught.
“I was always intrigued about the drills that he had. I was always intrigued by the mentality that he brought to the position where I knew at some point if I had the opportunity to hire him as my d-line coach, I would jump at the chance to do it. So there’s no secret why the guys he’s coached end up playing at a high level.” Glenn said.
Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dunbar is 56 and has spent 26 years coaching defensive linemen in professional football. His stops include the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he worked from 2014-2018 and helped develop Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt into one of the more feared interior pass-rushing combinations in the league. He then spent time with the Minnesota Vikings before joining Glenn’s staff in New York.
What Dunbar’s track record with defensive linemen means for the Jets’ current roster
Glenn inherited a Jets team that has not won a playoff game since January 2003 and has a defensive line in serious need of redevelopment after years of inconsistency.
The roster does have pieces. Quinnen Williams, who joined Dallas last year and then signed with the Jets this offseason, remains one of the better interior pass rushers in the conference when healthy.
Coach Glenn on DL coach Karl Dunbar: “I knew at some point if I had the opportunity to hire him as my D-line coach, I would jump at the chance to do it. There’s no secrets to why the guys that he’s coached play at a high level” pic.twitter.com/8rJMsJUSwm
— New York Jets (@nyjets) June 10, 2026
What the Jets did not have coming in was a line coach whose presence alone communicates expectations to the room.
Dunbar’s reputation in the NFL is that he demands technical precision in ways that a lot of defensive line coaches don’t, and that his players tend to improve measurably in their first year with him specifically because of that exacting standard.
Glenn mentioned he had been waiting for it. For a first-year head coach putting together his staff from the ground up, valuing that kind of certainty about a single position shows how Glenn approaches building a defense from the inside out.
The Jets’ defensive line hasn’t been a steady force since Rex Ryan was coach. Now, Glenn and Dunbar have the chance to change that and bring a fresh perspective.