Aaron Glenn Walks Back Comments Following Brutal 42-10 Loss To the New England Patriots
The New York Jets got dismantled 42-10 by the New England Patriots on Sunday. It pretty much was a a game that looked less like a professional football contest and more like a varsity squad scrimmaging the JV team. Jets Head Coach Aaron Glenn had some things to get off his chest. In the heat of the post-game moment, he committed the cardinal sin of NFL coaching: he questioned his team’s effort. But by Monday? The tune had changed entirely.
A Sudden Change Of Heart For Aaron Glenn
It is amazing what a night of sleep and perhaps a stern conversation with a PR director can do for a coach’s perspective. Immediately following Sunday’s blowout, Glenn was candid, admitting that the performance “was not total effort.” It was the kind of honest assessment that fans appreciate, but locker rooms often resent.
Fast forward less than 24 hours, and the narrative underwent a complete overhaul.
“Our guys did not quit,” Glenn insisted on Monday. “Getting a chance to look at it last night, and look at it again this morning, I will say this, effort was not the issue with that game.”
It’s a fascinating pivot. On Sunday evening, the lack of hustle was glaring enough to mention to the press. Monday morning, after “reviewing the tape,” the problem magically transformed from a lack of heart into a series of “schematic” challenges. I don’t buy it one bit, and it feels like damage control.
Blaming the Scheme Instead Of the Spirit
The explanation Glenn offered on Monday is one we hear often when coaches are trying to shield their players from criticism. He pointed toward the Patriots doing things that were “challenging offensively and defensively” and claimed the issues were technical things they need to “hone in and fix.”
“I thought our guys played all the way to the very end,” Glenn said.
Oh yeah, they played all the way so much that the Patriots scored touchdowns on their first six possessions. Six. That doesn’t happen just because of a clever scheme; that happens when a defense quits. Hell, Drake Maye was done in the game with 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter. The Patriots were ensuring health, which is why the Jets quit in the game. But hey, the practices are damn good apparently.
Historic Struggles For Gang Green
Context matters here. If this were a one-off bad game in a decent season, Glenn might get a pass for his emotional volatility. But this is becoming a historic collapse. The Jets aren’t just losing; they are getting run out of the building.
The statistics are grim. In four losses during December, New York has been outscored 153-46. According to ESPN, their minus-107 point differential is the worst in NFL history for December. That is not a record you stumble into by accident; it takes a systematic breakdown of culture and execution.
The offense, led by rookie Brady Cook, is averaging a league-worst 145.8 passing yards per game. The defense, which was supposed to be the foundation Glenn built upon, has totally capitulated. When you combine those factors with a fan base that hasn’t seen a playoff game since 2010, the atmosphere is toxic.
What Comes Next For the Jets?
Despite the disaster of a season, all indications suggest Glenn isn’t going anywhere yet, and that’s a mistake. This guy is way over his head as the head coach, and it’s hard to trust him to develop this new QB next year.
The Jets have one game left, a finale against Buffalo. Glenn better hope his “schematic fixes” work quickly, because another non-effort performance will make his Monday press conference explanation even harder to sell.
