The New York Jets Culture is Already Changing for the Better
For a decade and a half, the New York Jets have been one of the most dysfunctional teams in sports. With the longest active postseason drought in the NFL, MLB, and NBA, as well as not even having a winning season in a decade, New York has been stuck in a seemingly never-ending cycle of losing. The hope is that with the new coaching staff and front office, they can help change the culture of losing, much like head coach Aaron Glenn helped to do in a similar situation in Detroit. It’s still very early, and the team hasn’t played a game yet, but the message and culture Glenn is trying to build seems to already be taking hold.
What Went Wrong with Saleh?
For the last five years, the Saleh regime’s practices were known for a more relaxed environment. While this has worked for teams in the past, the Jets seemed to have consistent discipline issues throughout his coaching tenure. The team looked particularly flat coming out of the bye weeks, being outscored by 45 points in the Saleh era for a 1-2 record. Many of these issues can be attributed to these practice habits, as the Jets constantly seemed unprepared and undisciplined, something that never seemed to get better during his tenure.
What is Glenn Doing Differently?
Aaron Glenn was both a coach under Dan Campbell and a player under Bill Parcells. He understands that practice is a crucial part of preparation and that it should not be taken lightly. Parcells and Campbell are both notorious for running tough, physical practices. Campbell, in particular, is known for running practices that are just physical enough to help get the team ready for game day without beating them up too much, and Glenn has adopted a similar style. This no-nonsense change in approach to practice seems to have resonated with the players already, as the Jets got nearly perfect attendance at OTAs. Success begins with practice, and thanks to this new staff, players are practicing harder, even in these voluntary workouts. Because of this, the culture that has been seemingly toxic for so long is beginning to shift.
