Aaron Glenn didn't want any job. His dream was to be the head coach of the New York Jets.
After starting his playing career with the Jets from 1994-2001 and coming back to the Green & White as a scout in 2012-13, Glenn was named the franchise's 22nd head coach in January. Glenn, an elite cornerback during his playing days with 4.3 speed, has been constant motion since his return.
"There are so many things that I bring to work every day, and really when I get up in the morning, that motivate me to go out and be the best," Glenn said during training camp. "Number one, I was hired to do a job, and that's what I'm expected to do.
"What I feel about this organization, that's another motivation for me. And then some of the things that happened when I was a player that I just don't forget, like the '98 season [when the Jets went 12-4 in their second year under Bill Parcells], that's also motivation. There's a number of things that I think about every morning that get me excited about being a part of this job.
"Plus, I just love what the hell I do. It's not hard for me to come here every day with a smile on my face ready to work, because I just love coaching football, I love being around players, I love being around the coaches. So this is the best job in the world for me, and every day I'm living my dream."
Energy and Enthusiasm
Glenn's love for his players has been evident from day one. After the Jets landed QB Justin Fields in free agency, he quickly embraced his new starting quarterback.
"AG is great, he's awesome," Fields said. "Super personal when it comes to not only speaking to me, not only our relationship, but everyone's relationship. ... He's straightforward with it, he keeps it very blunt. But I think our relationship is very good when it comes to that, personally, and just being on the same page on how we want to lead this team."
The professional rise for Glenn was decades in the making. He worked as assistant defensive backs coach with the Browns (2014-15) before becoming DBs coach with the Saints under Sean Payton (2016-20), then finally heading to the Detroit Lions as defensive coordinator for Dan Campbell (2021-24).
"The AG that you guys are seeing, that's the AG that I know," said offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand, who was the Lions' passing game coordinator the past two seasons. "He's just now the head coach, and he's in charge of everything, and he's got his eyes on everything. He and I talk on a daily basis in that regard. He's not down there just coaching the defense — he's coaching the offense, too. We're talking, we're communicating, but the person that you see, and the energy and enthusiasm that you see out of him, that's the same. That's who he is."
Physicality ... and Accountability
Glenn's first training camp as Jets HC was headlined by its physicality and included 1-on-1 tackling drills on several occasions. The Jets practiced with pace and purpose, and they packed a punch at every turn.
"The principles of this game will never change," Glenn said. "This game is about running, blocking and tackling, and if you don't practice that, me as a head coach, how am I giving our guys a chance to win? The only way to get better at something is to rep it. And I'm not saying we're going to tackle every practice, but we are going to put ourselves in position to do it, or we're going to do it. And the guys understand that, they knew that coming in. The thing I like about it is they've bought into that, and they understand that I'm trying to do everything I can to help them win games."
RG Alijah Vera-Tucker, an experienced mauler on a young offensive line loaded with talent, welcomed the new mindset.
"I can see this thing turning around for sure, especially with Glenn, the type of coach he is," AVT said. "He praises physicality, but even more, accountability. I think that's very important for a head coach to do, something I haven't seen as much in my career."
The seasoned Glenn, 53, led a young group throughout the summer that had four players on the roster 30-plus years old. He said he won't be afraid to play young players and emphasized emotional maturity.
'Don't Let Go of the Rope'
"I feel like it's easy to have emotional maturity in the locker room, in meetings and things like that," said CB Sauce Gardner. " But when you get on that field and you have so much pride in what you do, and you make a mistake, especially being young, like we're a young team, that's where it's a factor the most because if you make a mistake, you have to have the mentality of next play, I know I can do it the right way. But if you lack emotional maturity, then you can beat yourself up and it just becomes this thing that is with you for the rest of the game or the rest of practice, and that's not what you want."
Glenn probably won't sleep much the night before the Jets host the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to kick off the 2025 season. After all, he was up at 3:30 on the morning of the Jets' first training camp practice. The man affectionately referred to as AG is a true Jet and the Parcells disciple is intent on building the organization back up to a level where it can ascend beyond that 10-0 lead over the Broncos in the 1998 AFC title game that evaporated in the Colorado Rockies.
Aaron Glenn is ready for the climb.
"It's been everything that I imagined, coming back and being the head coach of this team and being out there on the field," Glenn said. "Just hearing the fans, knowing exactly what they're looking for. They're behind us, I know that and I'm very appreciative of that. There are fans that, when I was playing, I still see out there, and I think that's outstanding. "Listen, we have some that are in it for the long haul, and I appreciate that.
"Just don't let go of the rope, hold on tight. Be patient and give the guys time. We'll be just fine. We'll be just fine."
