It only took one game for Aaron Glenn's biggest Jets mistakes to get exposed

Indefensible.

Justin Fried

NY Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens / Sarah Stier/GettyImages

The New York Jets fell short in their Week 1 revenge quest against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while there was plenty to be encouraged about in Aaron Glenn's first game, two offseason decisions suddenly seem indefensible.

Brandon Stephens looked like Brandon Stephens. Xavier Gipson looked like Xavier Gipson.

The Jets made Stephens their prized free-agent addition this offseason, signing him to a three-year, $36 million contract despite his countless struggles in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Gipson, who was firmly outplayed this summer, somehow retained his starting punt return man job.

Both of those decisions proved to be the reasons the Jets lost this game. Stephens was burned for a touchdown and later flagged for a pass interference call that ultimately sealed the deal for Pittsburgh. Gipson fumbled twice, including one that set up a touchdown for the Steelers to take the lead.

Brandon Stephens and Xavier Gipson cost the Jets' the Week 1 game

The unfortunate reality is that both of these outcomes were easy to predict. Stephens has been the most targeted cornerback in the NFL over the last two seasons. His 806 coverage yards allowed in 2024 ranked second-worst among all cornerbacks.

Stephens has always struggled to get his head turned around to make a play on the ball, and that weakness showed again on Sunday. The former Ravens cornerback was often in position, but either got too grabby or simply couldn’t get a hand on the football.

As for Gipson, the Jets made the controversial decision to hand him the punt returner job this summer despite the fact that he was wholly outplayed by undrafted rookie Jamaal Pritchett as both a returner and receiver.

Once again, this outcome was predictable. Gipson led all returners in muffs and fumbles last season, proving to be the most mistake-prone returner in the NFL. The Jets' coaching staff swore up and down that Gipson's ball security issues were behind him, but his performance in Week 1 proves that isn't the case.

There's so much to be encouraged about coming out of Sunday's loss. Justin Fields looked excellent in Tanner Engstrand's offense. The Jets punched well above their weight class on offense and vastly exceeded expectations.

It was an encouraging start to the Aaron Glenn era, but moral victories don't get you anywhere. Two of Glenn's most controversial decisions proved to be his team's downfall.

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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.