On Friday, the New York Jets announced that they had conducted eight interviews for their vacant defensive coordinator position after firing Steve Wilks in the middle of the 2025 season. Among those eight candidates was current Detroit Lions defensive assistant/safeties coach Jim O’Neil.
O’Neil has only been with the Lions since 2024, but he has overseen one of the team’s best position groups. Under O’Neil, the Lions developed the young careers of Pro Bowler Brian Branch and All-Pro Kerby Joseph. Of course, that year O’Neil also overlapped with Aaron Glenn, who is now the coach of the Jets, but was the Lions’ defensive coordinator at the time.
If O’Neil gets the job, it wouldn’t be the first time as a defensive coordinator. In fact, he has a pretty extensive history at the position. He served in that role for the Cleveland Browns (2014-15), San Francisco 49ers (2016), and Northwestern Wildcats (2021-22).
Other candidates who have interviewed for the position are Dolphins cornerback coach Mathieu Araujo, Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Packers defensive line coach Demarcus Covington, Jets DB coach/interim defensive coordinator Chris Harris, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, and former Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
O’Neil is the latest Lions employee to get opportunities elsewhere. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was requested to interview for the Dolphins’ head coach job, David Shaw interviewed for the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator position, and Jett Modkins interviewed for the Bucs’ special teams coordinator job.
You can track the progress of all the Lions coaching changes with our 2026 tracker.
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