NFL insider predicts stunning Aaron Glenn Jets firing amid season of chaos
Aaron Glenn could be ‘one-and-done’ as head coach of the New York Jets after a nightmare first year in charge, according to NFL reporter Mike Florio.
The Jets will not be involved in the NFL playoffs for a 15th straight season following another dismal campaign which has left them rooted to the bottom of the AFC East with a 3-11 record.
After replacing 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers with the younger and fresher Justin Fields, 26, there was optimism that Glenn’s appointment could mark the start of an exciting new chapter in New York.
Instead, the new coach had to wait until Week 8 to register his first victory after going 0-7, before Fields was dropped as starting quarterback last month following a string of shambolic performances.
Sunday’s 48-20 defeat by the Jacksonville Jaguars officially eliminated the Jets from playoff contention once again, with Glenn reacting to that season-ending loss by firing defensive coordinator Steve Wilks just 24 hours later.
And Florio, who has covered the NFL for over two decades, believes the firing of Wilks suggests Glenn knows he could be out of a job when the regular season ends in three weeks’ time.
Aaron Glenn could be ‘one-and-done’ as head coach of the New York Jets, says Mike Florio
Florio (left) made the stunning prediction while speaking to ex-safety Devin McCourty (right)
‘I still think there’s a chance it’s going to be one-and-done for Aaron Glenn in New York,’ the 60-year-old told ex-safety Devin McCourty on his Pro Football Talk Live podcast. ‘And I think this move that he made is a manifestation of what he’s feeling right now.
‘[He is] rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as he’s three weeks away from possibly being one-and-done as the New York Jets head coach.’
The Jets defense has allowed 337.4 yards per game this year, which was better than all but 12 NFL teams. Furthermore, New York has surrendered 28.4 points a game to rank 30th in the league in scoring defense.
Secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator Chis Harris will serve as interim defensive coordinator for the rest of the season. He made a name for himself as a safety over eight NFL seasons before becoming an assistant coach in Chicago, San Diego, Washington and Tennessee.
The Jets defense lost two major starters in trades this season after sending cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to Indianapolis and Dallas, respectively.
Since then, it has surrendered an average of 29.3 points a game, including 82 over the last two weeks alone.
But Florio believes Glenn, who enjoyed success as a defensive coordinator himself for the Detroit Lions, may soon follow Wilks out the door after admitting to a mistake by hiring him.
The NFL reporter says Glenn’s decision to fire DC Steve Wilks (pictured) could signal the end
Glenn pictured with Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after a loss to Miami earlier this month
It has been a disastrous first year in charge for him, with quarterback Justin Fields (pictured) losing his job as starter after failing to live up to expectations
‘I’m a big believer in admitting mistakes and not doubling down, but you still are admitting the mistake,’ he continued. ‘And he’s admitting by firing Wilks that what he did is what he shouldn’t have done.’
‘So I think there’s a chance that Aaron Glenn’s gonna be one-and-done, we’ll see what the Jets do,’ Florio concluded.
Glenn, a former cornerback, was asked about relieving Wilks of his play-calling duties after the Jaguars loss, but seemed to defend his assistant.
‘I brought Steve Wilks in for a reason, and I want him to run his system,’ he said. ‘We have three games left, three games left for our guys to go out there and play. Right now, It´s not about the Xs and Os. Across the board, it’s about the character of the men on this team. And that´s what I’m evaluating.’
One of the more experienced coaches in football, Wilks has been on the sidelines since 1995 and once served as interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2022.