The Jets turn to Aaron Glenn to lead them out of a 14-year playoff drought
On Monday, Aaron Glenn met with the media at the New York Jets’ training facility in Florham Park, New Jersey. It was his introductory press conference after becoming the franchise’s 22nd head coach since their founding in 1959 as the New York Titans who joined the American Football League.
The AFL and NFL (National Football League) merged ahead of the 1970 NFL season. The Jets won Super Bowl III in 1969 before the leagues combined, defeating the heavily favored Baltimore Colts 16-7 led by iconic quarterback Joe Namath. It was their first and only Super Bowl appearance. Ending this year’s season at 5-12, the Jets have not made the playoffs since losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game in 2010 under then head coach Rex Ryan.
They hold the dubious distinction of longest active playoff drought — 14 years — out of all the teams in the four major North American sport leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL) and a combined 124 teams. Glenn endeavors to end that disconcerting mark.
“Listen, I wanted this job,” said Glenn, a former defensive back who was drafted by the Jets out of Texas A&M in 1994 with the 12th overall pick in the first-round and played for the franchise through the 2001 season. He ended his playing career in 2008 having been named to three Pro Bowls.
The 52-year-old Glenn began his coaching career as an assistant defensive backs coach with the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and was the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons before being hired by the Jets. He is currently one of only five Black NFL head coaches of the league’s 32 franchise’s with the New Orleans Saints still interviewing to fill their opening as of AmNews press time.
Related: Disastrous season for Jets ends with numerous unanswered questions
Glenn acknowledged and embraced the road ahead. “Listen, there are going to be challenges, but with challenges come opportunity,” he said with team owner Woody Johnson and new general manager Darren Mougey, among other team personnel present.
“Here’s what I do know,” Glenn added. “We’re the freaking New York Jets and we’re built for this … sustained success — that’s what we’re looking for because I’ve lived it …” To me there’s no such thing as accountability without responsibility. So it’s my job to make sure what your responsibility is.
“Once the players understand that, then they know they have to be accountable for that. It’s not like I’m the one to have to tell them, ‘You’re wrong.’ They’ll know it. So we set that standard up front, and the players want that.”
The prevailing issue for Glenn and the Jets’ leadership is resolving the quarterback dilemma.
Incumbent starter Aaron Rodgers is 41 and has been a polarizing figure since the Jets acquired him in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in April 2023.
“This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers,” Glenn said. “This is about the roster. And we plan on building the best roster we can.”
The Rodgers saga is to be continued.
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