Jets Players Defend Head Coach Glenn After 3-14 Season: Can Culture Trump Results?
After a 3-14 campaign that left fans frustrated and the franchise once again searching for answers, trust in the New York Jets’ coaching staff-especially head coach Glenn-is understandably thin. The team struggled on both sides of the ball, with an offense that never found its rhythm and a defense that couldn’t stop the bleeding. If not for a standout special teams unit, the 2025 Jets might’ve been staring down a historically bad season.
And yet, inside the locker room-and even beyond it-there’s a different tone.
Current and former Jets players are standing firmly behind Glenn, not just with vague support, but with specific praise for the culture he’s trying to build. It’s a message that’s hard to ignore, even if the results haven’t followed.
Sauce Gardner Still Believes
Take Sauce Gardner, for example. The former All-Pro cornerback may now be suiting up for the Colts after being traded for a package that included two first-round picks, but he hasn’t distanced himself from Glenn. In fact, he’s done the opposite.
“He has a very tough mindset,” Gardner said during Super Bowl week. “Like, ‘This is the way that things are going to be.’ Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time, that’s the right way.”
Gardner emphasized Glenn’s no-nonsense approach, saying he holds players accountable and sticks to his standards, regardless of who’s in the room. “If you’re not on the same accord, you’re just not going to be there,” he added.
That kind of discipline and clarity is something Gardner clearly respects, even from a distance. “I’m excited to see what they [the Jets] have in store,” he said, pointing to Glenn’s first full season as a learning experience that could help shape the roster and identity going forward.
Harrison Phillips Echoes the Sentiment
Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips also backed his head coach in a recent interview, offering a candid look at what it’s like playing under Glenn’s leadership.
“When you take the job with the Jets, and you understand the culture that you’re up against... you want someone like A.G.,” Phillips said. “Who is consistent and is tough and is disciplined and has a standard. His consistency never wavered.”
That consistency is something Phillips believes is essential when trying to turn around a franchise that’s dealt with instability and short-term fixes for years. For him, Glenn’s steady hand and high expectations aren’t just admirable-they’re necessary.
Culture vs. Wins: What Matters More Right Now?
It’s easy to hear these quotes and think they’re just players saying the right things. But there’s something deeper here.
Gardner and Phillips aren’t just offering generic praise-they’re talking about structure, accountability, and a clear vision. That’s not nothing, especially for a franchise that’s often been criticized for lacking exactly those things.
Still, it’s fair for fans to remain skeptical. Culture is important, but wins are the currency that buys trust in the NFL. And right now, the Jets are bankrupt in that department.
The big question is whether Glenn’s approach-his consistency, discipline, and refusal to compromise-can translate into wins on Sundays. If it does, these early endorsements will look like the first signs of a turnaround. If it doesn’t, no amount of locker room support will change the narrative.
The Bottom Line
Players like Gardner and Phillips aren’t just defending Glenn because it’s the polite thing to do. They’re speaking to a belief in his long-term vision-a belief that the foundation being laid now could lead to something more stable and sustainable than the Jets have had in years.
But until that belief turns into results, fans will remain cautious. And honestly, who can blame them?
For now, Glenn has the backing of his players. Whether he can earn that same trust from the fanbase will depend entirely on what happens next season.