Jets’ Aaron Glenn sends bold first message to locker room and fans as he explains coming ‘home’

The big takeaway from Aaron Glenn’s first hours as the Jets’ new coach? It was the work and challenge he had always wanted.

The Jets and Glenn, the former Lions defensive coordinator, announced Wednesday evening their agreement to make him the 22nd coach in franchise history. And Glenn’s enthusiasm for the opportunity that awaits him – as he returns to the franchise that launched his playing and coaching career – could be felt through the words of his first official message to his new locker room and to its fans.

“To our players, prepare to be drilled with everything we have,” Glenn wrote in a statement released by the team. “It’s our responsibility. I ask that we share the same vision and that of working to win a championship. For our fans, simply put, expect a winning team that you will be proud of.

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It’s a good start for Glenn, who shows no signs of lowering expectations as he takes on a role fraught with challenges. It’s already clear that Glenn has a lot of support in the locker room, with several players making it known he was their preferred choice even before getting the job.

But that commitment to winning should be exactly what fans want to hear after years of frustration: The Jets’ 14-year playoff drought is the longest in franchise history (by far) and the longest long active recession in the main North American professional sports. .

After the Jets’ tumultuous 2024 season, and with so much uncertainty on their roster and the influence of owner Woody Johnson, there was legitimate concern that the Jets would have difficulty attracting a quality candidate during this hiring cycle.

Well, Glenn might not have been the best available candidate or the Jets’ first choice (it’s hard to imagine them turning down Mike Vrabel if he had chosen them over the Patriots). But he was one of the best candidates available and the fact that he wanted to join the Jets is a big win for a franchise trying to escape turmoil.

“Aaron has earned this opportunity through nearly three decades of experience in the NFL,” Johnson said in the release. “He brings tremendous leadership skills and the vision this organization needs to succeed.” I’m excited to see him lead this team.

Glenn knows the challenges ahead because he has seen the organization from the inside.

That’s part of the reason he wanted to be here. The Jets drafted him 12th overall in 1994, and he became a star cornerback early in his playing career here. When he wanted to get back into football a few years after retiring, he came to the Jets as a scout in 2011, which ended up launching his coaching career.

It is therefore fitting that he would launch his head coaching career wearing the Jets logo.

“This place is special to me,” Glenn said. “From the time I was drafted and coached on Long Island to the time I came back as a scout in New Jersey, this organization has always felt like home. I thank Mr. Johnson for this opportunity.

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Andy Vasquez can be contacted at avasquez@njadvancemedia.com.