Aaron Glenn has needed to alter the Jets tradition from the second he was employed as head coach in January.
One week into the common season, Glenn has already modified the group for the higher.
On Wednesday, Glenn made it clear there could be penalties for not getting the job finished as he launched vast receiver and kick returner Xavier Gipson after three seasons with the group.
Gipson’s fumble of a return on the Jets’ 22-yard line early within the fourth quarter proved to be the vital mistake that value Gang Inexperienced a feel-good opening day win. Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers shortly capitalized on the blunder and scored a landing to take a 31-26 lead.
Pittsburgh finally received the sport 34-32 after Chris Boswell transformed a 60-yard discipline objective with 1:08 remaining.
Jets groups previously might need let Gipson’s mistake slide. However Glenn despatched a stern message about accountability, an ordinary some gamers felt was lacking in earlier seasons.
“We can’t have turnovers,” Glenn stated following Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh. “We are able to’t do it. We’ve got to be a extra disciplined group.
“There were some penalties that happened in that game that were true discipline issues and, again, that’s something that will be addressed because you will not be on the field with this team if you’re going to cause us to lose games, if you’re going to cause issues like that.”
Glenn, to paraphrase the hip-hop group Migos, is “walking it” how he talks it. He advised gamers and reporters all through coaching camp that penalties and boneheaded miscues is not going to be tolerated. The Jets have led the league in penalties every of the earlier two seasons.
In earlier seasons, Jets gamers obtained away with dangerous choices, dropped passes or extracurricular actions that value the group. And in the course of the Robert Saleh/Jeff Ulbrich period final 12 months, it’s onerous to recollect a time when gamers had been held accountable for his or her errors.
However Glenn despatched a message to the complete locker room that constant errors is not going to be tolerated.
“He’ll name you out within the assembly room. It’s undoubtedly a unique mindset and also you gotta be in your s–t relating to it as a result of he’s on it. If you happen to do the best factor, then you definately don’t have a lot to fret about. If he calls you out within the conferences, it’s for a motive. He doesn’t essentially name you out in a unfavorable gentle, however he will certainly say one thing if it must be stated.
“A lot of places where I’ve been, it is not like that.”
The phrase tradition change has been thrown round quite a bit since Glenn was employed, primarily as a result of he has been on the forefront of wanting to alter the Jets for the higher.
Throughout the first week of the offseason program, Glenn talked about wins and losses, postseason appearances and Lombardi Trophies. He mentioned constructing the Jets from the bottom up and establishing a basis that might allow the group to achieve success not only for one season, however for a number of years to come back.
It was unlucky that Gipson needed to be the one who paid the value, however that one choice will get everybody’s consideration inside Florham Park. Certain, Gipson was the low man on the Jets’ totem pole after he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023. But when they actually needed to do away with Gipson, that they had a possibility to take action throughout closing cuts in late August. However Glenn stated Gipson went “145 strong without dropping a punt” throughout coaching camp.
“I know the ball is the most important thing in this organization, and we talk about it all the time to where if you have the ball in your hands, you have the most precious thing in the organization,” Justin Fields stated. “So, that’s undoubtedly crucial factor after we are enjoying the sport.
“But Xay [Gipson] was my guy. I feel bad for him, but everything happens for a reason and I’m sure he’ll get another shot somewhere else.”
Since January, Glenn has been like an exterminator making an attempt to wash up the Jets constructing with the hope of turning them round from perennial losers to winners. He is aware of what it takes to perform that feat after he and Dan Campbell did the identical factor with the Lions.
Detroit was in an identical place because the Jets at present are, however Glenn and Campbell helped the Lions go from a 3-13-1 file in 2021 to 15-2 final season. Glenn’s expertise as Lions defensive coordinator supplies a blueprint for the way the Jets can lastly head in the best route after 14 years of futility.
One of many causes Glenn reduce Rodgers wasn’t due to his soccer potential at 41 years previous. It was as a result of he felt like he couldn’t actually ship his message with Rodgers nonetheless within the constructing. Rodgers even admitted that in his rant about Glenn and the Jets throughout an April look on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
Nobody is aware of how this season will go for the Jets. They’d a valiant effort of their loss to the Steelers, through which Fields performed a few of the greatest soccer of his profession.
They may have squandered a nine-point lead early within the fourth quarter, however this isn’t your father’s Jets group. That is the Aaron Glenn period of the Jets, the place constant errors and miscues is not going to be tolerated.
Glenn stood on enterprise and everybody inside and outdoors the Jets constructing has to respect that.
