Demario Davis explains why Jets fans should believe in Aaron Glenn

Take it from the 5x time All-Pro linebacker.

Charlie Baduini

New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Geno Smith wasn't the only former New York Jets player to make his return to the team this offseason. Veteran linebacker Demario Davis is also back, this time for his third stint with the franchise.

Davis, a third-round pick out of Arkansas State in 2012, spent the first four years of his career in New York before joining the Cleveland Browns for a season. He re-signed in 2017, but departed for the New Orleans Saints the following year. It was with the Saints where Davis broke out, receiving five All-Pro selections and two Pro Bowl nods over eight years in New Orleans.

Now, the former Jets draft pick is back, and there's a reason why the 14-year veteran chose to return to New York as opposed to finishing out his career with the Saints.

It's head coach Aaron Glenn, who made an impact on Davis when he was the defensive backs coach on Sean Payton's coaching staff from 2016 to 2020. The veteran linebacker believes in what the Jets coach is trying to achieve in New York, and maybe fans should, too.

Demario Davis praises Jets head coach Aaron Glenn in first media appearance

Davis was in the Jets facility for the first time since 2017 on Thursday and addressed the media. He was asked why he decided to return to New York, given his age and likely being given other opportunities to chase a championship.

"I believe in so much of what's being built here under the leadership of Aaron Glenn...I think there's a ton of great things on the horizons for this organization. You can already see glimpses of what's being built as the moves that have happened early in the offseason with so much more on the horizon, so I'm really excited to be a part of that."
Demario Davis

It's understandable for Jets fans not to have 100% confidence in their head coach. After all, Glenn is coming off a 3-14 season where the team looked lifeless for nearly three quarters of it. But if a player of Davis' caliber and stature believes in him, that has to give the former Jets DB some credit, right?

There's no way to say for sure right now, but what will be telling is the 2026 season, and if Glenn, with the help of his veteran free agent additions, will be able to flip the script on what is widely considered a lame-duck regime.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.