The big names like Gang Green’s decision
Aaron Glenn began his NFL career with the New York Jets, and now he’s returning home, on Wednesday agreeing to become the team’s newest head coach following a four-year run as the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator. Early reactions to his reunion are steeped with praise, with NFL legends like Bill Parcells and Joe Namath endorsing the former Pro Bowl defensive back as the right man to rejuvenate the Jets.
Namath, who led the Jets to their first and only Super Bowl victory in 1968, took to X (formerly Twitter) immediately following Glenn’s hire to proclaim his belief: “I’m hoping all [Jets] fans are as thrilled as my family and I are that Aaron Glenn is our new head coach. I wish the season would start next week!”
Parcells, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who spent three seasons as the Jets’ coach from 1997-1999, during which Glenn earned two Pro Bowl nods as a starting cornerback for the team, told NFL Media that he’s particularly encouraged by the temperament Glenn will bring to the Jets’ locker room.
“He’s not afraid to be contentious,” said Parcells, who also coached Glenn with the Dallas Cowboys. “He’s just feisty. Not rude or impolite. He’s just willing to get his point across.”
CBS Sports HQ analyst Leger Douzable, who spent three seasons with the Jets from 2013-2015, echoed the positive reactions on Wednesday with his own simple statement: “We got our guy.”
As did Connie Carberg, who became the NFL’s first female scout while working for the Jets from 1976-1980, and called Glenn a “super person” and “true Jet” upon Wednesday’s news of his hire.
