Jets defensive starter in walking boot as Aaron Glenn stays silent on injuries

Aaron Glenn’s refusal to discuss injuries with reporters on Tuesday raised eyebrows across Florham Park. The Jets head coach declined to provide any updates on the team’s health, brushing off questions and insisting he wouldn’t be talking about injuries moving forward.

And while the reason for Glenn's pettiness stems from reporting around Garrett Wilson's injury, Wilson isn't the only notable player on the Jets' roster dealing with an injury at the moment.

Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips was listed as a non-participant in Monday and Tuesday’s walkthroughs while dealing with a foot injury. With the Jets on a short week, both practice sessions were only walkthroughs, meaning the designations were estimated rather than based on full participation.

Glenn refuses to provide an update on the severity of any player's injury, but Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press revealed later in the day that Phillips was spotted with a walking boot on his right foot in the locker room, which suggests he could be set to miss some time.

Jets DT Harrison Phillips could miss time with a foot injury

The Jets acquired Phillips in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings just prior to the start of the 2025 season, and the eight-year veteran has gone on to start all nine games for the team so far this year.

Phillips has been a key presence as a 1-tech run-stuffer, anchoring the middle of the Jets’ defensive front. The Stanford product is on pace for his best overall and run-defense grades from Pro Football Focus since 2022 and has already tallied 15 run stops this season.

While Phillips doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher, he’s excelled in his role this season, and his presence has become even more important since the Jets traded Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys at the deadline.

The Jets are already thin at defensive tackle following the Williams trade, and now with Phillips likely to miss at least this Thursday night's game against the New England Patriots, the team's depth will be further tested.

Fellow preseason trade acquisition Jowon Briggs has been a revelation for the Jets this season, recording a career-high six pressures in Week 10. Coming off the best game of his career, Briggs will now be asked to anchor the middle of the Jets' defense.

Veteran Jay Tufele is the leading candidate to step into the starting lineup, with trade-deadline pickup Mazi Smith also expected to see increased snaps. The Jets could additionally use their final practice-squad elevation on undrafted rookie Payton Page, who logged two snaps in Sunday’s win.

Other possibilities include undrafted rookie Fatorma Mulbah and defensive end Eric Watts, both currently on the practice squad. The Jets could also slide Micheal Clemons inside to play more 3-tech snaps, with Braiden McGregor and possibly Tyler Baron taking on larger roles on the edge.

Either way, the Jets’ defensive line depth will be stretched thin heading into Thursday night’s divisional matchup with the Patriots. All signs point to Phillips missing at least this week’s game, though the team will hope his absence doesn’t extend much longer.

Just don't ask Aaron Glenn for an update.