No matter how bad this season has gone for the New York Jets, the assumption around the league was that head coach Aaron Glenn would be back next year. Sure, they’re 3-13 and progressively getting worse, but it always felt like owner Woody Johnson was prepared to stay patient. After their loss to the New England Patriots, though, it suddenly feels less certain. Even patience has limits.

According to reporter Armando Salguero, Glenn may not be as secure as everyone once believed. A rough finish to the season has reopened a conversation that didn’t seem necessary a few weeks ago.

“Glenn was a popular coach prospect in January and landed with the Jets as a nostalgic move that returned the former cornerback to his old team. Cool story, but this is starting to feel like Jerod Mayo in New England last season. Glenn is not safe,” the reporter said.

Whether that assessment proves accurate or not, it’s hard to imagine owner Johnson being comfortable with what he’s watching each week. The win over the Falcons briefly suggested the Jets might be stabilizing. That didn’t last. Since then, it’s been four straight losses, and none of them were particularly competitive.

Over that stretch, the Jets have scored just 46 points while giving up 153. Two of those losses came against the Saints and the Dolphins.

Still, firing Glenn would be a surprise. Not because the results have been acceptable (they haven’t), but because of the longer vision the organization laid out earlier. When Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were traded, Glenn was part of those conversations alongside general manager Darren Mougey.

The message then was alignment. A shared vision and a rebuild that would take time and require patience from everyone involved. That context still matters.

“Glenn won’t be judged during the 2025 season by what the team’s record is, sources say, keeping in mind that he lost two of his best players and must lead a locker room that watched Gardner and Williams leave. With quarterback issues and a young team in transition that got even younger this week, there are many factors at play,” insider Ian Rapoport said back then.

But things can change pretty quickly in football. And with the way things are going, it seems like Aaron Glenn is losing his locker room day by day. And that might’ve forced him to backtrack his comments after the Patriots‘ loss.

Aaron Glenn backtracks on locker room criticism

Even when a season is officially done, you usually see something from the players if they still believe in the coach. Effort shows up. That’s why last week’s loss to the New England Patriots felt so jarring. From the opening series, the New York Jets looked flat, like a team already thinking about January vacation.

After the game, head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t sugarcoat it. He called out the locker room, saying the performance wasn’t about execution as much as effort.

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“It was not total effort,” Glenn said.

That comment didn’t last long. After going back through the film, Glenn walked it back and shifted the focus elsewhere.

“Getting a chance to look at it last night and look at it again this morning, I will say this: Effort was not the issue with that game,” Glenn said on Monday.

“I thought our guys played all the way to the very end. What really showed up is they did some things schematically, I thought, that was challenging offensively and defensively that we really have to take a look at and try to hone in on and fix those things,” he added.

What caused the change in tone isn’t hard to guess. Calling out effort publicly can fracture a locker room, especially one already worn down by losses. By shifting the blame toward the scheme and preparation, Glenn took some of the heat onto himself and his staff. That’s often the move when you’re trying to keep players with you.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: effort has been part of the problem. The Jets have lost their last four games by margins of 24, 28, 23, and 32 points. On Sunday, they officially clinched the worst December point differential in NFL history. They’re 3–13 overall. They’re 0–5 against divisional opponents, with one more game left against the Bills.

Glenn can talk scheme. He can talk about adjustments. And maybe that’s the right message for his room right now, but things are getting progressively worse.