Aaron Glenn Doubles Down on Process Despite 5-21 Record

There's doubling down on a process that you believe works, even when others doubt you. Then there's doubling down on a process that hasn't worked, and results have shown it.

Can you guess which one New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has focused on?

New York's head coach is 5-21 since taking over the top job with the team he was a Pro Bowler for during his playing days. Throughout his tenure, Glenn has focused his efforts on celebrating the improvements his team has made over time. In many ways, the coach has focused on building from the ground up.

But as Glenn's mentor Bill Parcells once said, "You are what your record says you are." And Glenn's doubling down on his process, with his record, is only complicating the problem.

Glenn's double down pushes Jets to brink

There's a reason why the Jets were so high on hiring Aaron Glenn in the first place. His energy, passion, and determination were all easy to buy into. And it is still a major positive trait. Fans can't help but want to see him succeed because he desperately wants to win for the franchise.

But results are what they are. Glenn's passion for a 2-7 club and determination to win his way are the key reasons, especially when he tries to refocus people's anger on the process at hand.

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.

Get Jets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.

Add us as a preferred source on Google