Jon Gruden gives Jets optimistic Lions comparison ahead of 2026 season

When it comes to the New York Jets, their fans, and optimism, it's usually few and far between. It's not for no reason: the Jets currently boast the longest playoff drought of any franchise in the four major North American sports leagues, and their odds of snapping that streak this year are slim at best.

But a full 180-degree turnaround isn't going to happen overnight. Just look at the Detroit Lions, who were in a similar spot of mediocrity throughout the 2010s until Dan Campbell came in and changed the culture for the better ahead of the 2021 season in the Motor City.

Can Campbell's former defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, pull off the same thing in New York? That remains to be seen. His first season didn't instill all that much confidence among fans, with a 3-14 record.

But in all fairness, Campbell's first season at the helm in Detroit wasn't much better. He finished 3-13-1, eerily similar to Glenn's first season with the Jets. Could we see a similar franchise overhaul from the same coaching tree?

Jon Gruden believes there's plenty of hope for the New York Jets

Ex-NFL head coach Jon Gruden seems to think there's hope for New York ahead of the 2026 season, and he said as much on a recent episode of Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take.

"The hope is, all these people that criticize Aaron Glenn- no way; he's doing the same thing out there that Dan Campbell did with the Lions. You know, you got to restore the roar before you can kick the door down."

Gruden highlights Glenn cutting ties with some of the holdovers of the Robert Saleh era, the group of players Jets fans not-so-affectionately refer to as the "mopers."

Out are Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams, Sauce Gardner, and Jermaine Johnson. In are established veterans like Demario Davis, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and David Onyemata. The aforementioned three have plenty of experience with winning cultures and will hopefully bring a new level of respect to New York.

Even New York's incoming draft class of David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., and D'Angelo Ponds comes from winning collegiate programs, and all participated in this past year's College Football Playoff. Cooper and Ponds ended up winning the whole darn thing.

All of this will (hopefully) culminate in the cultural tides turning in New York. If Glenn's tenure can continue to mirror Campbell's in Detroit, the Jets are destined for a 9-8 record in 2026, knocking on the door of a wildcard spot.

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