Gang Green Nation
The New York Jets have struggled for eons to establish a winning culture. Here are three Secret Superstars who might help push things in the right direction.
When teams, coaches, and players talk about a culture of winning, it’s often easier to recognize such nebulous concepts in their absence than with their presence. The New York Jets, with their one winning season since 2015, no playoff trips since Rex Ryan got them to their second straight AFC Championship game in 2010, and a revolving door of coaches and executives and quarterbacks along the way, have struggled to generate any sort of said winning culture for a long time now.
Following a 5-12 2024 season that wasn’t impressive at all in most categories, the franchise made three big changes — hiring former Denver Broncos personnel man Darren Mougey to be their new general manager, hiring former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to be their new head coach, and releasing Aaron Rodgers to the four winds.
Glenn has made it clear that he knows how to establish that winning culture — he set the tone with his “We’re built for this (expletive)” opening press conference, and he proved with this particular franchise that he could bring it as a first-round cornerback in 1994, who amassed 24 interceptions and made two Pro Bowls over eight Jets seasons as a cornerback.
Still, it’s going to take more than a few old highlights from the Bill Parcells days, and more than a few well-chosen words, for those still devoted to this franchise to actually believe that better days are ahead.
After this long on the wrong side of things, even the best players on the roster have a hard time believing in yet another new way, no matter how credible the people presenting it. When Rodgers was released, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams had some tart things to say on social media regarding yet another rebuild (Williams has been with the team since 2019), and the veteran quickly walked that back.
“I understand the reaction of the players, but I would say this — every decision that me and Moug make is to win, and to win now, so I understand it,” Glenn said at the scouting combine. “But this is not going to be the last decision I make that’s going to upset people, and that’s okay, but as men we talk about it. We make sure we keep it in house, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
Well, if Glenn is the man to put that culture in place, he’ll need help from everybody in the building — not just the most prominent names. In the continuation of our “Hidden Gems” series, we look at one underrated veteran, one underrated free-agent signing, and one underrated draft pick who may help bring that winning culture back to Gang Green.
Linebacker Jamien Sherwood almost made the list here, [as I loved his tape when I...
