How many games do the Jets have to win this season for Aaron Glenn to keep his job? — Bianca M. New Rochelle, NY.
If you’ve followed Woody Johnson’s career since he purchased the New York Jets on January 11, 2000 — you know that he is unpredictable. When you expect him to zig, he zags. Therefore, I’m not going to try and predict what he does. Instead, I’m going to answer this question as if I were running Gang Green.
I’ll start with the famous quote from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart — “I know it when I see it”. Now, he was referring to pornography, while I’m referring to the X-rated disaster that we witnessed at MetLife last season. To me, it’s not about wins and losses in 2026. It’s about whether the Jets look like a legitimate professional football team.
Let’s not forget that Glenn arrived at training camp last summer with high expectations. Due to his success as a player, scout, coach, and coordinator, his hiring was universally applauded. His confident, boisterous demeanor had Jets fans dreaming of a quick turnaround like his mentor Bill Parcells accomplished in 1997.
Instead, the season started with seven straight losses and somehow got worse from there. While the Jets clearly went into tank mode at the end of the season — by not playing veterans who had nicks and bruises, and starting an undrafted rookie free agent QB — you can’t hide from just three wins and a negative 203 points differential.
More importantly, there were just too many games when Gang Green did not look physically, mentally, or schematically prepared. You expect new coaches to experience occasional hiccups with time management and late game decisions, but Glenn compounded that with occasional lapses in accountability and blow-ups with the media.
Plus, to add insult to injury, the former Pro Bowl defensive back was embarrassed by his defense becoming the first in NFL history to go an entire season without recording an interception.
In December, many pundits began to speculate that Glenn could be let go after just one season. After all, Johnson is not known for his patience. However, to the owner’s credit, he realized that his head coach had formed a strong partnership with Glenn’s hand-picked General Manager Darren Mougey.
The two men called an audible at the trade deadline, dealing former All Pros Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams for a bushel of draft picks. They continued their aggressive stance in the offseason by acquiring veterans Minkah Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith via trade, and Demario Davis as a free agent.
Draft experts gave them high grades for selecting David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr, and D’Angelo Ponds in the Top 50. Plus, they stockpiled three first-round picks in the highly anticipated 2027 NFL Draft.
Finally, the most encouraging sign of growth and maturity this offseason was Glenn taking responsibility for the role that coaching had in their 3-14 season. He completely revamped his staff by bringing in 12 new coaches. New OC Frank Reich takes control of the offense while DC Brian Duker will handle the day-to-day task of running the defense. Meanwhile, Glenn himself agreed to take over the defensive play-calling duties.
A hapless first season morphed into an encouraging second offseason. Will it translate into wins? More importantly, how many wins will it take to convince everyone that Glenn can lead the Jets back to the playoffs
I’m not sure, but I’ll know the number when I see it.
“Titans, Packers, Lions, Bears… If the Jets start 0-4, would it be too early for Woody Johnson to call Mike Tomlin?” Joe B. Caldwell, NJ.
Mike Tomlin’s aura will hang over every team that struggles during the 2026 NFL season — and for good reason. The future Hall-of-Fame coach never had a losing record, and only missed the playoffs six times in his 19 seasons leading the Pittsburgh Steelers. Plus, we won’t be able to forget about him because he’s going to be a fixture in our living rooms as a studio host on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Now, as exciting as it would be to see Mike Tomlin in Green-and-White, it would not be a great thing for the organization. The franchise as a whole, and the young players specifically acquired to fit Glenn’s system, need stability. It would be another unfortunate step back if the Jets feel the need to pull the plug.
Having said that, it is incumbent on Glenn to make this a moot point by proving he can run an effective, efficient, professional football operation.
“We’re less than two months from opening day and I still can’t believe that Geno Smith is back with the New York Jets! Do you consider that the biggest shock of the offseason?” Richard R. Maspeth, NY
I’m not going to lie, I was surprised. I expected Mougey and Glenn to target a younger player like Mac Jones (who stayed with the San Francisco 49ers) or Malik Willis (who took his talents to South Beach).
But I will also admit that before Smith spent his summer vacation receiving frequent police visits in Florida, I was buying into the narrative that his resiliency and track record had already earned the respect of the coaches and players in Florham Park. Assuming he retains his freedom and makes it to training camp, I think the Jets will receive competent, albeit inconsistent, quarterback play.
My biggest shock, and biggest concern, is the lack of a proven veteran in the QB room. The Jets let Tyrod Taylor walk and failed to reunite Reich with Carson Wentz.
Therefore, the QB room features rookie Cade Klubnik, last year’s sacrificial lamb Brady Cook, and the well-traveled Bailey Zappe. While Klubnik showed Chad Pennington-like leadership and personality in OTAs, he is still just a fourth-round draft pick coming off a disappointing senior season with the Clemson Tigers.
If something were to happen to Smith in training camp (i.e. broken jaw, misdemeanor), the Jets run the risk of having their season go off the rails before it even starts.