Jets players reveal off-field moment they hope will turn team around

New York Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson turned heads Friday — not just with his return to the practice field, but also with his candid comments ahead of the team’s overseas matchup against the Denver Broncos.

Johnson revealed that the Jets’ defensive players held a players-only meeting after a disappointing 0-5 start. The defense has given up the second-most points in the NFL and has struggled across several key categories.

For Johnson, the meeting was about taking ownership of the team’s early-season mistakes.

“We definitely take full accountability,” Johnson said Friday morning. “We were just talking about what we need to do different heading into this week and utilizing this full week out here, sort of like another week of camp within the season.”

It’s rarely a good sign when a team feels compelled to hold a players-only meeting — especially this early in the season. The Miami Dolphins, for example, held one after a Week 1 loss, and now the team is 1-4 with a coaching staff perceived to be on the hot seat.

But the Jets’ meeting, ahead of their Week 6 showdown against Denver, could signal something different. If the team responds well, it might help turn the season around — and potentially save some jobs in the process.

Jets Defensive Meeting: A Turning Point?

When Steve Wilks was hired as the Jets’ defensive coordinator and play-caller in 2025, Aaron Glenn’s decision was applauded. A former head coach and Super Bowl-appearing coordinator, Wilks brought experience and credibility to a defense loaded with talent.

But so far, the results have fallen far short of expectations.

Through five weeks, the Jets’ defense has taken a major step back. The unit ranks among the league’s worst in several categories: they have allowed the second-most points per game (31.4) and are the only unit without a takeaway.

While Wilks doesn’t bear all the blame — execution still lies with the players — he hasn’t helped matters. Questionable decisions have made things worse, such as predictably relying on man coverage on third-and-long or failing to make key in-game adjustments. Injuries to key players, including All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams, have only added to the team’s woes.

Still, was a players-only meeting the right move this early?

Do Players-Only Meetings Work?

Typically, a players-only meeting can be interpreted as a red flag — a sign that the locker room is losing confidence in the coaching staff. In many cases, such meetings appear to be last-ditch efforts to salvage a season.

But that doesn’t seem to be the case for the Jets.

The fact that the meeting was organized solely by the defense suggests the players are looking inward — not pointing fingers at coaches, injuries, or scheme. They know the problems lie in their own execution and accountability.

If the entire 0-5 Jets roster had gathered, it might have signaled deeper dysfunction and potential cracks in Glenn’s leadership. Instead, with a focus on just the defense, the team may have made a move that brings clarity and cohesion at a critical point in the season.

With a tough game in London looming, the defense’s response may very well define the rest of the Jets’ 2025 campaign.