Ben Wilkerson

Ben Wilkerson begins his first season with the New York Jets after joining Robert Saleh's staff as the assistant offensive line coach on February 16, 2022. For Wilkerson, this is his eighth season coaching in the league following a four-year playing career.

Prior to joining the Jets, Wilkerson spent four seasons with the Giants (2018-21) as the assistant offensive line coach. In 2021, Andrew Thomas cut his sacks allowed from 10 as a rookie to two, and his pressures allowed from 59 to 18 (according to Pro Football Focus). Thomas ranked in both the top 10 in sacks and pressures allowed among all tackles with 500+ snaps.

Serving as the assistant offensive line coach with Chicago (2015-17), Wilkerson helped oversee an offensive that line helped the Bears rank 10th in rushing, averaging 112.0 yards a game in that span. Additionally, rookie Jordan Howard's 1,313 yards in 2016 were the second-highest total in the NFL that season, and the most by a rookie in franchise history.

Wilkerson began his coaching career at his alma mater, LSU, as an offensive graduate assistant (2010), and then as an offensive administrative intern (2011). He then spent training camp with the Steelers (2012) as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program, two seasons at Grambling State (2012-13) as the o-line coach, and a year as an assistant football and track coach for North Shore (TX) Senior HS (2014) before returning to the NFL.