Aaron Glenn is exposing just how broken the Robert Saleh era really was

Aaron Glenn hasn’t coached a single game for the Jets yet, but his presence is already exposing just how broken the Robert Saleh era really was. It's not just those watching from the sidelines who are saying it, either.

The early days of training camp have made one thing painfully clear — the Jets haven’t practiced real football in years. Monday marked the team’s first fully padded practice under Glenn, and the first time in recent memory the Jets practiced live tackling in training camp.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt remarked that it was probably the most physical practice the franchise has held since the Rex Ryan era. More notably, Glenn's practice was a sharp contrast from the soft, injury-averse camps that defined the Saleh era.

But it’s more than just tackling. Glenn’s practices are more demanding and more disciplined than Saleh's ever were. And, as a result, the Jets are finally emphasizing accountability again.

Players feel the difference. And they’re saying the quiet part out loud.

Aaron Glenn is preaching accountability in a way Robert Saleh never did with the Jets

It's still early, but the signs of change have been impossible to ignore. Monday’s padded practice was a revelation for many players, not just because it was physical, but because it was so different from anything they experienced under Saleh.

Just ask Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker. The former first-round pick told reporters last week that Glenn has put a premium on accountability this summer, and in doing so, he took an unintended shot at his former coach.

"I can see this thing turning around, for sure, especially with Glenn, the type of coach he is. He praises physicality, but even more, like, accountability. I think that’s very important for a head coach to do. That’s something I haven’t seen as much of in my career."

Alijah Vera-Tucker

The Jets lacked that accountability under Saleh. The practices were soft, and the team desperately lacked any form of discipline.

Aaron Rodgers skipped mandatory minicamp last summer to take a vacation in Egypt and faced no consequences. Haason Reddick infamously held out half the season and was still praised by the coaching staff for being “unselfish” upon his return.

The live tackling hasn't been the only noticeable change. The Jets made the decision to bring referees into camp this year to officiate practices. That's something the team never did under Saleh.

That decision likely contributed to the Jets' back-to-back seasons as the NFL’s most penalized team. On Monday, when tight end Jeremy Ruckert jumped early, a flag was thrown, and Glenn immediately pulled him from the play. Mistakes finally have consequences.

Players are buying in. Breece Hall told reporters on Saturday that he feels a lot better going to work this year, and not just because the team is practicing earlier in the morning.

He pointed to a lot of instability around the organization last season and praised Glenn for finding the balance between being a players’ coach and demanding real work.

The Jets are no longer tiptoeing around egos. They’re not coddling stars. Glenn isn’t preaching accountability. Instead, he’s enforcing it.

It’s early. Training camp has just started, and the team has had only one practice with pads. But the foundation the Jets are building under Aaron Glenn already looks sturdier than anything they stood on over the last few years.

And for once, the standard isn’t just a slogan.

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