Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
FLORHAM PARK, NJ—New York Jets employees, media, loved ones, and alumni patiently awaited Monday afternoon’s main event at 1 Jets Drive.
Onlookers chatted among themselves with event and situation-inspired songs serving as the background noise. They did so somewhat quietly and patiently, while some surely lost track of the time.
That was until … boom, they arrived.
Everybody immediately shut up and readied their smartphones and cameras. Chairman Woody Johnson led the way with freshly-minted head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey in tow.
The newest era of New York Jets football had just begun—while Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” did the heavy lifting.
Glenn won the day
To claim Aaron Glenn “won the day” would be an understatement so massive it would deserve 20-to-life. The second greatest cornerback in franchise history appropriately thanked the organization, mentioned his loved ones, and even shouted out the Jets alumni on hand—many of whom are former teammates—all while speaking directly to the fanbase.
After mentenioning Bill Parcells of his own volition during his opening remarks, he quickly shot down ESPN’s Rich Cimini before he could even fire off a question. All it took was the mere mention of the Big Tuna for Glenn to halt Cimini’s media scrum question.
After getting ahead of the Aaron Rodgers conversation during his opening remarks, he had no problem letting the media know that any question relating to the quarterback position will yield an identical yet undeniably firm retort.
After calling on former teammate Wayne Chrebet‘s memory, while vowing to “get it back” for Jets fans—courtesy of the second-half craziness that transpired at Mile High Stadium in the 1998 AFC championship game—Jets fans felt the relatability.
Jets alumni couldn’t help but feel it as well: Chrebet is so fired up about Glenn’s hire that he wants to do everything he can to help the cause, as stated on the most recent episode of “The Underdog Jets Podcast.”
Glenn was fiery yet measured, unapologetic yet humble, and, perhaps most importantly, he was confrontational yet well-mannered.
Aaron Glenn undoubtedly hyped up an entire universe of football fandom on this day, yet critical questions remain. The answers to those questions—the very same that will determine his success as New York Jets head coach—are what remain in doubt.
Here are the two critical questions that will determine Aaron Glenn’s coaching career with the New York Jets …
1. Which man has final say?
Nothing about Monday’s introduction surprised me from a stature perspective. That is when we’re thinking about Aaron Glenn specifically.
Glenn, 52, is a Bill Parcells disciple in many ways. Although he never coached under Parcells, the Texas A&M product leans on the Tuna, the man Glenn believes is the greatest coach in footbal history.
Thus, there’s no leadership concerns as it relates to the current Jets head coach. Glenn isn’t afraid of productive confrontation, he believes in proper accountability, and he’ll never shy away from anything or anybody—up to and including the rabid New York media.
The pleasant surprise was the other guy.
Jets general manager Darren Mougey opened up the presser after Woody handed him the mic, and he proceeded to deliver his introductory remarks in a confident and poised fashion. To perform that well in such a tough spot should not be overlooked.
Unsurprisingly, both Glenn and Mougey preached “team decisions.” The verbiage is a bit of a throwback to the days of Mike Tannenbaum and John Idzik, with Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan on board with the mantra.
It makes complete sense considering Woody has returned to the same hierarchical structure that was in place before Joe Douglas arrived in 2019. Both the general manager and head coach each report to the chairman—as opposed to the general manager running the show.
Theoretically, there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, preaching and practicing “team decisions” should be the desired target.
Realistically, however, football doesn’t work that way.
Whether it’s at the coaching or front office level, there can only be one clear boss. Full stop.
Mougey and Glenn will unquestionably disagree on personnel in the near future (no less over the next few years). They better disagree; if they don’t, there’s a serious problem.
When that occurs, who’s the tiebreaker? Who holds the trump card in the room and at the table?
There can only be one.
While, yes, “team decisions” are desirable, envisioning two individuals holding hands while skipping through the flower-ladened field, football only works when a true hierarchy is established. Bill Parcells certainly knew this.
I’m sure Aaron Glenn comprehends this truth as well.
This isn’t to say the one man at the top must be a dictator-in-action. It’s instead to say that the one true boss must understand his autocratic role within the structure, while simultaneously cultivating a democracy throughout the entire environment.
My hunch is that Aaron Glenn is that true autocratic. Yet, no clear answer was provided.
Remember, both Tannenbaum and Idzik were primarily financial/cap guys, which opened the door for Mangini and Rex to dig into personnel much more. In this instance, Mougey is primiarly a scout and personnel executive.
By no means is this transparent structure doomed to fail. Don’t believe that for one moment. As long as every individual within the organization can identity the sole true boss, the fotball operation can flourish.
There better be just one, and everybody better know who that one man is.
2. Will Glenn conform to the modern game?
If the first question is essential to how the New York Jets front office will operate, then the second is even far more critical. The second deals with the actual team on the field, and the item this organization has not yet been able to solve since the playoff drought began 14 years ago.
Will Aaron Glenn conform to the modern NFL game?
The football gods know damn well what they put Jets fans through in recent history—as they share a sinister chuckle along the way.
Robert Saleh was a non-confrontational fella who never held his players to account. Adam Gase and Gregg Williams served as near-co-head coaches—something so impossible to execute it’s not even worth mentioning. Todd Bowles was just tyring to figure out how to get things done. Rex Ryan allowed Barnum & Bailey to take up residency in Florham Park, NJ.
Thankfully, Jets fans won’t have to worry about the leadership bucket as much with Glenn. What his coaching career hinges on deals with how drastically different today’s game is compared to that of yesteryear.
How does Aaron Glenn handle that stark contrast?
What Saleh, Gase, Williams, Bowles, and Ryan all have in common is pretty damn simple to diagnose: They refused to play by today’s rules.
Folks, it’s not a coincidence that the Jets havenn’t made the playoffs since the time the NFL began to actually change into what we witness today.
Gone is the day of physicality being such a weapon that it can be the main focus. No longer can head coaches rely on their defense to win them a game. Never can an offensive play-caller exclusively rely on the rushing attack and a manage-the-chains attitude.
The great rules changes of the late 2000s coupled with player safety has led us to a world where discrimination against defense isn’t just tolerated; it’s the damn norm.
The 12 greatest offensive yardage seasons have come from … wait for it … 12 of the last 14 NFL years. Ranking 13th and 14th respectably are 2009 and 2010, the two years in which Jets fans last enjoyed themselves.
As time progressed, the more guys like Rex Ryan found it difficult to coach, whereas the more success guys like Andy Reid found. Incredibly, Reid, who’s considered one of the greatest coaches in history, was often criticized for “passing too much” in the mid-2000s while coaching the Philadelphia Eagles.
Football head coaches in 2025 must conform and innovate.
Preaching physicality is fine—as long as it’s not the focus. Cultivating a strong rushing attack is great—provided it’s not the one trick of the pony. Relying on your defense is admirable—only if it’s done in the appropriate hand-picked spots.
The game moved away from the Rex Ryan-type defensive boss and towards the Andy Reid-type offensive wizard. How much does the new Jets head coach understand this, and how stubborn is he in many of football’s old-school beliefs?
Here’s the good news: Coaching under Dan Campbell and alongside Ben Johnson should have opened his eyes so wide that he could never sleep again. Hopefully, for the New York Jets and their fans, Aaron Glenn remains wide awake for many years to come.
