Aaron Glenn, in his first year as head coach of the New York Jets, introduced a new approach to practice last Sunday. The team held a walkthrough that was not announced publicly, occurring a day after their preseason matchup against the New York Giants.
Glenn was the only coach present at the practice, while players took charge and led the drills themselves. The session is officially described by the team as a walkthrough. Safety Andre Cisco commented on Glenn’s leadership style, stating it showed that Glenn wants a “player-driven team.”
Cornerback Brandon Stephens shared his perspective with Rich Cimini of ESPN.com: “It was personally different for me because I’ve never experienced that — having no coaches out there (…) It was great for us to lead the groups by ourselves.”
Cimini noted that Glenn may have drawn inspiration for this approach from his time as a Jets player. During the late 1990s, former New York Jets head coach Bill Parcells once removed himself and his staff from practice due to frustration with the team’s performance, leaving players to conduct the remainder of the session.
Parcells previously led the Jets to an AFC title game during his tenure. There is some hope within the organization that such history could be repeated under Glenn’s direction.
