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Aaron Glenn just proved every Jets fan wrong with this controversial roster decision

Maybe Glenn was onto something.
Justin Fried
Justin Fried

The Jet Press

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn / Sarah Stier/GettyImages

When the New York Jets brought back wide receiver and return specialist Isaiah Williams last month, many fans were understandably confused and upset. The move made no sense to most.

After all, this was the same player whose early-season blunders helped cost the Jets games, the same one who was cut after repeated special teams miscues. Yet Aaron Glenn remained loyal to his former Lions receiver.

The first-year head coach, who once worked with Williams in Detroit, saw something others didn’t. And now, he looks vindicated. In the first quarter of Sunday’s matchup with the Cleveland Browns, that faith paid off in spectacular fashion.

Williams took a punt 74 yards to the house, erupting down the field for the first touchdown of his career. It was a moment of redemption for Williams, and for Glenn, it was proof that belief in his players can still pay off.

Aaron Glenn proved Jets fans wrong with Isaiah Williams

Williams’ Week 10 resurgence didn’t come out of nowhere. He’s been steadily earning back trust since his second stint began, flashing reliability and versatility in ways that once seemed unthinkable.

In the Jets’ thrilling 39–38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals before the bye two weeks ago, Williams contributed on offense for the first time all year, catching three passes for 31 yards and recording a 25-yard rush. Sunday’s punt return touchdown was the cherry on top of his midseason turnaround.

Glenn’s decision to bring Williams back was widely mocked at the time, chalked up by some critics to personal bias from their shared Detroit days. But the move has quietly become one of the most impactful depth decisions of the season.

The Jets cycled through return options with Kene Nwangwu, who also returned a kick for a touchdown in Week 10, temporarily sidelined. Williams has been the one to stick, as he's stabilized the return game and even injected much-needed juice into an offense desperate for playmakers.

It’s a small victory in a long, difficult season, but one that shows Aaron Glenn’s growing reputation as a coach who trusts his instincts and knows when to bet on his guys. He seems to have been right on the money with this one.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.