si
There is a difference between sticking with a proven method and clinging to one that has consistently failed. For New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, the latter appears to be the case. Since taking over the top job with the team he once starred for as a Pro Bowler, Glenn has compiled a 5-21 record. Yet he continues to emphasize the progress his team has made, focusing on building from the ground up.
But as Glenn's mentor Bill Parcells famously said, "You are what your record says you are." And Glenn's doubling down on his process, given his record, is only complicating the problem.
There were clear reasons why the Jets were high on hiring Glenn in the first place. His energy, passion, and determination were easy to buy into, and those traits remain a major positive. Fans desperately want to see him succeed because he wants to win for the franchise. But results are what they are. Glenn's passion for a 2-7 club and his determination to win his way are key reasons for the scrutiny, especially when he tries to redirect people's anger toward the process.
"We're not going to hide from the fact that we're 2-7," Glenn said on Wednesday. "We own that, but man, we're still working our (expletives) off to make sure we fix that. And we feel like we like the players that we have in the building to be able to help us do that. When you look at the seven losses, and this is just the facts, five of the teams were playoff-caliber teams. I think five of them were one-score games. I think two three-point, one five-point, and two seven points."
The problem with Glenn's answer isn't the facts. He's right that the Jets have improved and have been in almost every game. Save for two blowouts, there's an argument the Jets should be three to four more wins better than they are. But therein lies the problem: New York should be better.
Glenn's coaching staff and his own in-game decisions are key reasons for the team's struggles. Whether it is the misuse of timeouts, an archaic offensive system, or a total lack of adjustments, the Jets are being outcoached in almost every game. So when Glenn says he's close, the fanbase only has to point to results and lack of improvement from him to question that very thought.
"We're right on the cusp of trying to break through, and we're going to do everything we can to do that," Glenn said.
Maybe the Jets can turn their misfortune around. Perhaps a late run will be enough to save Glenn's job. But that flip needs to be made now, not in a couple of weeks. His double down on what hasn't worked isn't helping things either.
Key Analysis
Glenn's insistence on trusting his process despite a 5-21 record raises questions about his adaptability. While he points to close losses against quality opponents, the Jets' recurring issues with timeouts, scheme, and adjustments suggest deeper problems. The fanbase's frustration is understandable: improvement is measured in wins, not moral victories. Unless Glenn can translate his passion into tangible results, his tenure in New York will remain under intense scrutiny.