The New York Jets recently held a private practice at their Florham Park facility in which players, rather than coaches, called the plays and conducted drills. According to reports, head coach Aaron Glenn was the only coach present for the session on Sunday, and there was no media coverage.
Quarterback Justin Fields led the offense while middle linebacker Jamien Sherwood managed the defense during this unusual session. Team officials later clarified that it was technically a walk-through rather than a formal practice. Nevertheless, several veteran players commented on its unique nature.
Cornerback Brandon Stephens, who previously played four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, stated, “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.” Center Josh Myers, who joined the team after playing with the Green Bay Packers, added: “That was something that was new to me. For all intents and purposes, it felt like a practice, just player-led.”
There are indications that Glenn may have taken inspiration from Hall of Famer Bill Parcells. During his time coaching the Jets in the late 1990s, Parcells once left players to run their own session as a motivational tool. Glenn was on that squad as a player at the time.
Andre Cisco, a safety with experience on the Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Jets, said Glenn described his vision for a player-driven team: “[Glenn] said this is something he envisions his team being, a player-driven team.” Nickelback Michael Carter II also commented: “The great teams are the player-led teams. … We got a chance to go out and prove it for the first time.”
Wide receiver Garrett Wilson told social media influencer Megan Patricia that players spent about an hour working through various scenarios during Sunday’s session.
Players noted that running their own walk-through allowed them to adjust strategies independently and foster leadership within position groups. Cisco summarized: “It was like a regular day (… ) Just no coaches.”
