Aaron Glenn is trying to change the Jets’ trajectory in his first year as the team’s head coach and his approach to preparing for the regular season made room for an unusual practice last Sunday.
The Jets held a practice that was not announced publicly a day after their preseason game against the Giants. It was unusual because Glenn was the only member of the coaching staff in attendance and the players led the drills in what the team is officially calling a walkthrough.
Safety Andre Cisco said it showed that Glenn wants a “player-driven team.”
“It was personally different for me because I’ve never experienced that — having no coaches out there,” cornerback Brandon Stephens, via Rich Cimimi of ESPN.com. “It was great for us to lead the groups by ourselves.”
Cimini notes that Glenn may have gotten the idea for a player-led practice from his days as a Jets player. Bill Parcells once pulled himself and the rest of the coaching staff out of a late 1990s practice because he was angry with the team and players led the rest of the session.
Those were better days for the Jets — Parcells took them to an AFC title game — and Glenn may be hoping that history repeats itself during his tenure.