Aaron Glenn embarrasses himself by walking back Jets effort comments

The New York Jets were once again blown out in humiliating fashion on Sunday, losing 42-10 to the New England Patriots in a game that could have realistically been 80-0 had the AFC East winners kept their foot on the proverbial gas pedal.

Head coach Aaron Glenn questioned his team's work ethic following the game, insisting that he was "upset with the effort" the Jets displayed on Sunday. His comments seemed to rub some players in the locker room the wrong way, and just 24 hours later, Glenn has already walked back his statement.

Glenn told reporters on Monday that he had a change of heart after "reviewing the film," insisting that his team's effort wasn't actually an issue in the game, as he had insisted one day earlier.

Glenn instead chalked up the Jets' decimation to schematic issues, but the damage had already been done. As ESPN's Rich Cimini noted, it's "hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube."

Whether this was simply damage control or Glenn genuinely changed his stance, the outcome is the same. He publicly questioned his players’ effort, and regardless of whether that assessment was accurate, it clearly didn’t sit well with everyone in the locker room.

Aaron Glenn reverses course on his critical comments after Jets embarrassment

It’s not difficult to read between the lines and notice a troubling trend developing in Florham Park. Glenn may have been right in his initial assertion — there are more than a handful of players who appear to have tuned their coach out at this point in the season.

Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson offered a telling response when informed of his coach’s comments after Sunday’s game. He openly scoffed at the idea that the team had an effort problem, pushing back on Glenn’s remarks by insisting that “everybody is bought in and has been giving their all.”

Glenn explained that his perspective shifted after reviewing the film, but it’s hard not to wonder if he also realized the weight of what he said in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s loss.

Publicly questioning a team’s effort is a dangerous line for any head coach to cross. Once that door opens, it risks alienating players and eroding trust in the locker room.

It also raises a larger question about the culture Glenn is trying to establish. If effort is being called into question this late in the season, that reflects poorly not just on the players, but on the environment being built under his watch.

The sudden walk-back felt less like a genuine change of heart and more like an attempt to smooth things over. In short, it's a clear case of damage control after the initial message didn’t land the way it was intended.

Glenn’s inconsistent messaging and controversial press conferences have only been part of the issues he’s faced in his first season as Jets head coach. The on-field results matter most, but he’s certainly not doing himself any favors with the way he’s handled the messaging around this team during its lowest moments.

It hasn’t gone over well with the fan base or the media, and more importantly, it now appears to be creating friction inside the locker room as well. That’s the kind of issue that can snowball quickly if it isn’t addressed. Glenn appears to be realizing that.