A Blast from the Past: The NY Jets Hire Aaron Glenn as Head Coach

Photo Credit: nflalumni.org.

No, I’m not late to the party. I’m well aware of the New York Jets hiring of Aaron Glenn as head coach in January, I’m just getting around to giving my usual take when they make significant moves such as this.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Aaron Glenn when he became a strong candidate for the Jets head coaching job, seeing the colossal failures with the last two coaches (Adam Gase and Robert Saleh), who were first-time head coaches when they were hired, as Glenn is now.

Now, I loved him as a player. Til this day I think he’s one of the most underrated corners to step on the field. That was as a player, becoming a head coach is a different story.

Initially, I was hoping for either Rex Ryan or Pete Carroll, two guys who also have history with the Jets, being that they were the head coach in previous years, but when Aaron was hired, I thought, “The hire has been made, let’s give him a chance and see what happens,” the same benefit of the doubt that I gave the last two coaches.

The more I learned about Glenn as a coach and after his playing career was over, the more I liked the idea of the hire. For instance, until a few months ago, I had no idea he came back to New York as a scout (2012–13), which tells me he has experience in player evaluation.

During his last days in Detroit, he mentioned in a press conference that he has studied all sides of the ball, not just defense. He described himself as a coach who happens to be on defense. This tells me he’s knowledgeable, well-versed, and has a willingness to learn.

While there’s a lot of talent on the team, the dysfunction, particularly in leadership, is holding them back, and I hope Aaron can turn things around as soon as possible — I know he’s committed to doing so.

As successful as he was with the Jets as a player back in the day, I hope he’s more successful as a head coach.