Jets Finalize 2026 Defensive Coaching Staff
The Jets have set their defensive coaching staff for the 2026 season, per team writer Eric Allen, with Ben Bolling, Ronald Booker, and Colin Bauer emerging as the final additions.
Bolling, 32, will take over as New York’s linebackers coach. He served as the Texans’ assistant linebackers coach in 2025 after four years as a defensive assistant on DeMeco Ryans‘ staff. Bolling previously worked as an assistant coach at Campbell University, where he played wide receiver from 2021 to 2025.
Booker just finished a five-year stint with the Cardinals, where he served as a defensive assistant and quality control coach. A former defensive back himself, Booker will primarily be working with the Jets’ nickel corners in 2026. Four players had over 100 slot snaps in New York in 2025, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required): safeties Malachi Moore and Jordan Clark and cornerbacks Jarvis Brownlee and Michael Carter. Only Moore and Brownlee are still on the roster for 2026, so Booker will be coaching them as well as any nickels the Jets acquire this offseason.
Cardinals Finalize Gannon’s New Staff
The Cardinals announced today that they have finalized their coaching staff under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, according to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. We’ve tracked many new hires, firings, and retainings as they’ve occurred, but today’s finalization fills in any holes that remained between last year’s staff and what we’ve reported on so far. 
On the offensive side of the ball, we’ve got the confirmations and official titles for two new hires. Drew Terrell, who was expected to leave Washington and rumored to be in the running for Arizona’s pass-game coordinator role after missing out on the offensive coordinator job, has officially been hired as the Cardinals’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. Additionally, Israel Woolfork, who was rumored to become the new quarterbacks coach after being informed by the Browns that he was granted leave from his diversity coaching fellow position, has officially been made the quarterbacks coach in Arizona.
Two other new hires were announced today on the offensive staff. Former Charleston Southern head coach Autry Denson has joined the staff as a running backs coach. Denson has extensive experience coaching the position at the college level for Notre Dame, Miami (OH), and Bethune-Cookman, but this will be his first job in the NFL. Also joining the staff, Chris Cook will be under offensive line coach Klayton Adams as the team’s assistant offensive line coach. Additionally, two members of the offensive staff from former head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s tenure have been retained with slightly new titles. Formerly the co-pass game coordinator, Spencer Whipple will be retained in the role of pass game specialist. Similarly, former Bill Bidwill Fellowship and quarterbacks assistant Connor Senger has been retained in the position of offensive quality control coach.
On the defensive side of the ball, Patrick Toney and William Peagler, who were announced to be joining the Cardinals’ staff after working together at the University of Florida, had their titles officially announced today. Toney, who was originally expected to be the safeties coach, will be the Cardinals’ defensive backs coach. Peagler, after coaching tight ends in Gainesville, will serve as assistant defensive line coach. Additionally, a holdover from last year, former defensive assistant Ronald Booker has been retained to serve as defensive quality control.
On special teams, after the departure of assistant special teams coach Devin Fitzsimmons to Carolina, Sam Sewell will be filling the same role in 2023 for the Cardinals. Additionally, away from either side of the ball, the Cardinals hired two more new staffers and retained two others. Brandon Schwab has been hired as assistant to the head coach, and Shea Thompson has been hired as director of football performance. Coaching assistant Jay Razzano was retained from last year’s staff, and Kenny Bell, who served last season in Arizona as chief of staff and offensive assistant, will be retained as the team’s director of football strategy.
With the coaching staff finalized, Gannon and the Cardinals can turn their attention to the NFL Combine, the draft, and the rest of the offseason.