New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has made it abundantly clear that he will be the face of the organization moving forward.
Not a former Super Bowl champion and league MVP.
By moving on from Aaron Rodgers, the Jets have opted for a quieter offseason than they dealt with in recent seasons. According to Glenn and star wide receiver Garrett Wilson, that change has been welcomed across the board, even at the potential expense of Rodgers.
Jets Make Clear Distinction on Quarterback Room
Things are far different in the halls of 1 Jets Drive than they have been in recent years, between Glenn’s messaging of culture and the fact that there’s a new quarterback leading the charge.
But it’s not just different faces – it’s a different feel.
With the addition of Justin Fields and his appointment into the starting role, there’s a stark contrast between what he brings to the locker room and the quarterback he is replacing.
“I like that he’s (Fields) not trying to be, and I’m going to use a (Bill) Parcells deal now, he’s not trying to be the celebrity quarterback, he’s just trying to be himself,” Glenn said. “And whatever comes with that, it comes with it. So, he’s not trying to impress anybody. He’s going out there and he’s busting his (expletive) trying to be the best quarterback he can be for this team.
“Everybody sees that, and I like that.”
Glenn’s comments about Fields not being a “celebrity quarterback” come at an interesting time. Of all the signal-callers in recent history, Rodgers is certainly one who fills that “celebrity quarterback” mark well.
Did Glenn make an indirect comment on the differences between his current quarterback and the one he released just a few months ago?
Glenn wasn’t the only Jet who made comments that could have been related to the former four-time NFL MVP.
Clarifying his frustrations and past trade rumors that may have persisted if Rodgers was still on the team this year, Wilson made it clear that he is pleased with where the Jets currently are.
“I want to be part of something special,” Wilson said. “I don’t think a whole bunch of individuals makes something special. There’s a way you go about business when you love what you do.”
Fields is pretty far from acting as an individual, which is quite a dissimilar approach from the quarterback who bolted to Pat McAfee to voice his frustrations with the Jets. If Fields can help turn around the Jets’ win total, it won’t matter that he isn’t a four-time MVP.
It still brings up the same question, though.
Did Glenn and Wilson indirectly attack their former quarterback for the sake of propping up their current one?
Was Aaron Rodgers Targeted?
To say that Glenn and Wilson’s comments were clear comments against the former starter in Rodgers is to not fully understand what the Jets’ plans this offseason have been about.
First, it’s always important to remember that while Rodgers certainly did not help matters and carries plenty of blame for the disaster that was the 2024 season, he was not the only reason why the Jets won just five games last year.
That being said, with a new coach being hired, the Jets have made a conscious decision to “operate in silence” as Glenn previously pointed out. In the modern NFL, you simply cannot do that with a household-name quarterback on the roster.
Some Jets fans will interpret Glenn and Wilson’s comments as slights against Rodgers. That misses the point, though.
New York is at the beginning of a cultural rebuild. This new iteration of the team is not seeking to intentionally take small digs against players who aren’t on the roster. That would detract from Glenn’s messaging.
Their comments on Wednesday simply reflect the shift in culture, and nothing more.
