New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn comes from a long line of aggressive coaches. From Bill Parcells to Sean Payton to Dan Campbell, Glenn has been trained to maintain an aggressive mindset on the field.

That includes in-game decisions as a head coach.

Glenn was part of Campbell’s staff in Detroit from 2021 to 2024. During that time, the Lions were known as one of the most aggressive teams in the league in key moments.

Fourth and one from the opponent’s 34? Forget the field goal — go for it and keep the drive moving. That was the kind of decision-making that made the Lions one of the best teams in football.

It’s the same mindset Glenn has brought into his tenure with the Jets.

The results, though, haven’t shown yet. That isn’t deterring Glenn’s thought process, though.

Glenn to stay aggressive

New York has seen several key moments this year bumbled by questionable decisions from Glenn. At 1-7, the Jets coach has as much to do with the early-season struggles as the quarterback, defense, or any other concern within the organization.

But much like his mentors, Glenn is keeping his aggressive mindset intact. The results, in his mind, will come as long as he remains consistent.

“It comes down to one thing, I’m trying to win the game,” Glenn said.

“I want the players to know that I have an aggressive mentality. I have a ton of trust in them and have a ton of trust in the execution for us to do that. And listen, I understand the Monday morning quarterbacks, when things like that don’t work out, it’s always, you’re the worst coach ever, when they do work out, you’re the best coach ever.

“I just know who I am, I know who the players are, I have a lot of trust in the guys that we have. I’m going to continue to evolve when it comes to making decisions like that. I know I still have a ways to go, just like most coaches will tell you. So I’m still growing in that aspect, too. But I look forward to my growth when it comes to making those decisions.”

New York saw those improvements in its first victory of the season two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals. Down by 14 late and having just scored a touchdown, Glenn chose to go for two and cut the deficit to six.

The decision, championed by analytics, was the right move. New York not only converted the two-point attempt but scored minutes later to take the lead by a single point. The defense stepped up when it needed to most to preserve the Jets’ first win of the year.

It was as strong a sign as any that Glenn continues to improve his in-game decision-making. The first-time head coach is learning how to put his team in a position to win.

Learning on the fly

First-time head coaches always have a learning curve to go through. Glenn’s mentor, Campbell, is a great example of that. In 2021, as the Lions struggled through an 0-10-1 start, Campbell’s in-game decisions often felt like they were directly hurting the franchise in close games.

But as the season went on, Campbell got better. His team got better. The roster, as expected, started to find ways to win.

Now, few teams in the NFL are as aggressive — or as successful — as the Lions.

Jets fans may be tired of the Lions comparison, as Glenn has used it often in press conferences, but they remain the best example of what Glenn could become as head coach in New York.

As he grows and gains confidence in his in-game decisions, the Jets will be more prepared for those moments.

And they might end up playing a lot better because of it.