It’s one of the most common explanations for why the New York Jets have missed the playoffs 15 years in a row: “They keep hiring first-time defensive head coaches.”

Those critics aren’t wrong. From Rex Ryan, to Todd Bowles, to Robert Saleh, to current head coach Aaron Glenn, four of the Jets’ five head coaches during this playoff drought (the exception being Adam Gase) were first-time head coaches with a defensive background.

New York enjoyed early success under Ryan. But since Ryan’s third season, the Jets have consistently fielded atrocious offenses under their defensive head coaches. Despite occasional seasons of defensive brilliance, the Jets’ offensive woes have kept them from making any playoff appearances.

This cycle is among the main reasons why many fans and analysts are skeptical of Glenn as he enters his second season in New York, following an ugly debut season that saw the Jets finish 3-14. There is plenty of doubt as to whether Glenn can oversee a playoff-caliber offense in the head coaching role.

Glenn addressed those concerns while speaking to the media on Tuesday.

“One of the things I don’t want to do is just try to give myself to the defense, because I’m still coaching the team. And throughout the practice, I still go to the offense, and I see what guys are doing in the individual [drills] and things like that. But once we begin the competitive periods, that’s when I have the mic and actually talk to our Mike backers as far as what we want to call on defense,” Glenn said.

“I do the best I can of making sure that my time is shared on both parts, but once it comes to the part when we get to competitive periods, I got to be dialed in on what I’m calling to make sure I put our guys in a good position to win those reps.”

After leaving defensive play-calling duties to Steve Wilks in 2025, Glenn has taken over those responsibilities in 2026, with rookie coordinator Brian Duker working under him on the defensive side.

Offensively, Glenn has entrusted 64-year-old Frank Reich with the reins.

Time will tell whether the formula works out. For now, it is clear that Glenn is primarily focused on the defense, even if he is doing his best to oversee both sides of the ball.

It’s a formula that led the Jets to immense playoff success under Ryan, but once those New York teams lost the elite talent that Ryan inherited, the franchise faded out quickly. Balance between both sides of the ball is critical, and Glenn must learn to strike it in 2026, even as he adds defensive play-calling to his plate of responsibilities.