When HC Aaron Glenn took the podium to speak to reporters on Friday morning, he got straight to the point.

"It's here," he said.

After months of preparation and culture building with a newly assembled staff and revamped roster, the Jets will take the field for their first regular season action at MetLife Stadium on Sunday against the Steelers. For Glenn, it's an opportunity he still hasn't quite wrapped his head around.

"I haven't [let myself imagine the moment], to be honest with you," he said. "I'm just looking forward to getting a chance to go and play. It's regular season now. I'm looking forward to coaching my [butts] off on the sideline. I'm looking forward to our players playing their [butts] off play in and play out. And understanding it's a one-play game every time they go out. So, I'm looking forward to that. And it's going to feel good. I know that."

Glenn will stand on the sideline for the first time as a head coach, but his mindset certainly doesn't show any signs of inexperience. Throughout a long summer of training camp and preseason, there has already been plenty of adversity to overcome -- and Glenn has approached it like a seasoned pro.

"I was always told this -- there's going to be some things that my mentors can't prep me for," he said. "Things are going to happen and I'm going to have to be able to just make the best decision I think that's a plus for the organization and for this team. Again, there's a number of things that have happened and listen, I've been very happy I've been hit with those things."

The most recent bout of adversity came earlier this week, when starting RG Alijah Vera-Tucker, who was recently appointed a team captain after an impressive training camp, sustained a season-ending triceps injury. Glenn was part of a staff in Detroit last season that dealt with multiple notable injuries on defense-- and he developed an understanding of how to keep moving forward. He stressed the importance of that to both his staff and players this week.

"I think those guys understand my mindset as far as, don't tell me who we don't got," he said. "Don't tell me that. Tell me how we're going to get this next player ready to play and tell me what's the mindset of that player."

He added: "You can never prepare for those types of things, but man, you have to quickly think. Quickly get the guys on board and understand injuries are a big part of this game. … You hate saying that you're going to move on, but you have to. This league is not going to stop for anybody. It's all about the play style instead of the playbook. And our guys understand our play style, so it makes it easier for us."

Glenn's ability to adjust and respond will certainly be put to the test on Sunday, but the first-year head coach is ready for the challenge. His final 48 hours before kickoff will be dedicated to focusing on details and preparing to make decisions in key moments. With some valuable preseason experience under his belt, it's time for the real thing on Sunday.

"I was always told that the last four minutes of the half and the last four minutes of the game belong to the head coach," he said. "So, what I have been doing a lot of is really looking at that part of the game and start putting myself in the game and what decisions I will make in that aspect. … For the most part, that's what I am doing from now on until game time."

High Praise for P Austin McNamara

In the offseason, GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn committed to fashioning a younger and more frisky roster. When the initial 53-man roster was announced recently, the players' average age was 25.7 years old, which makes the team's new punter Austin McNamara, 24, the team's youngest specialist.

"He was an unknown, not to just you guys [reporters], but a lot of guys just around the league," Special Teams Coordinator Chris Banjo said. "But for him, the thing we're proud of with him is just his relentless effort in regards to working, just being obsessed with his craft. He puts his head down every day, puts his head down, just comes to work every day, and he's just looking to get better slowly and surely on a daily basis."

In 2021, McNamara set the Texas Tech and the Big 12 record with a 48.2 yard punting average across 13 games. He also set a NCAA single-game mark in that season with the most 50-yard punts in a game.

He was not selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, but was signed and waived by Cincinnati before signing with the Jets in mid-March.

In the preseason, McNamara punted 14 times for 689 yards (49.2 per boot) with a long kick of 60 yards. He also landed 7 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Six of his kicks were returned for a total of 22 yards.

"I definitely think I'm peaking at the right time, which is great," McNamara said last week. "Even before I got here, I thought I was at my best. When I left Cincinnati, I learned a lot, got myself better and tried to reestablish myself. And now I'm just trying to do that on a consistent basis, so I'm good."