Mike Macdonald is proof Aaron Glenn's defensive mind can turn Jets around

A large contingent of New York Jets fans has already given up not just on Aaron Glenn, but on the idea of hiring a defensive-minded head coach altogether. Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald may be putting a dent in that line of logic altogether.

Macdonald, fresh off winning a Super Bowl in his second season, won his rematch against Mike Vrabel (another defensive coach, imagine that) and the New England Patriots with a 13-10 victory to kick off the beginning of the NFL season. Even as young offensive coaches from the Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay trees populate coaching staffs, there are other ways to win games in this league.

A defense-first coach with great leadership qualities can build a scheme that confuses opposing quarterbacks while getting just enough quality from his quarterback and offensive brain trust to go blow-for-blow with just about anyone. Even after Glenn face-planted in his first season, there's a path to his defense-first approach to eventually getting things turned around.

Aaron Glenn can win with the New York Jets as a defensive-minded coach

Based on a recent story from The Athletic highlighting how close Glenn is with owner Woody Johnson, it becomes clear that Glenn sold ownership in 2025, serving a "Year Zero," in a sense. 2025 would be all about clawing out from the Aaron Rodgers shrapnel, and 2026 is where progress can be made.

This is not to say that Glenn will be as good a coach as Macdonald. That is almost assuredly not happening. However, Macdonald serves as a sign that getting buy-in from players, creating a crafty enough defense, and finding efficient (if unremarkable) QB play is as effective a winning strategy as hiring the guy who mowed McVay's lawn to run a bootleg version of that offense.

Aaron Glenn is making progress with the New York Jets in 2026

Justin Fields is gone, and the team has upgraded with Geno Smith. Frank Reich brings a wealth of experience with him on the offensive side, and Glenn is taking matters into his own hands by calling plays on defense. That side of the ball is littered with proven veterans who can come in and immediately make an impact in this hybrid scheme.

Even the most brilliant offensive mind would not have moved the needle last year. The talent was simply not there.

What has been made clear by anyone who has spent five minutes with Glenn, as well as the NFLPA exit surveys that rate him favorably, is that his best trait could be motivation and getting players to buy in. The fact that he was rated so highly after an unwatchable 2025 season speaks to his coaching acumen independent of talent.

Glenn could crash and burn if he doesn't adjust when his team is struggling and puts his faith in below-par assistants, but that has brought down coaches from a multitude of different backgrounds over the years. However, if his plan comes to fruition, he could point the arrow in the right direction for this franchise.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow