Picture this. It is your rookie year as a head coach, and you are tasked with turning a franchise with a not-so-great record around. Fans have yet to see the spark translate onto the field. Jets HC Aaron Glenn closed out the 2025 preseason with only one win tucked under his belt in Week 1, and the frustration looms large. The New York Jets are now chained to a 14-year playoff drought, one of the longest active skids in the NFL. Even worse, they have not secured a second-place finish in the AFC East since 2015, when Todd Bowles walked in as a rookie coach and shocked the league with ten wins. That season was lifted by a veteran in Ryan Fitzpatrick. If the stars align correctly, it will happen again!

Aaron Glenn is aiming sky high towards the Lombardi with new quarterback Justin Fields leading the charge. Standing beside him on that mission is the Jets’ $120 million cornerback Sauce Gardner, who has vowed to follow through. Adding to the optimism, Jets writer Harrison Glaser took to X with a message that fired up fans. His caption read, “We understand what it is that the #Jets fans want, that the #Jets organization wants, & we understand what the coaches want. Us, as players, we want those same things, so we’re all bought in & we’re doing everything it takes on & off the field to make that happen.”

The post included a video clip that showcased the team in pads during a high-energy practice session. Aaron Glenn walked the field with a clipboard in one hand and headphones pressed tight to his ears. It was a scene fans have long craved. The Jets cannot afford complacency in these few weeks at all!

That urgency is timely with Week 1 set for September 7 in a headline matchup against the Steelers, now led by former Jets QB1 Aaron Rodgers. Inside the locker room, the promises reflect unity and resilience, especially after a preseason marred by injuries. Glenn addressed the setbacks and reassured the media on Monday that key pieces are trending in the right direction. He stated that Sauce Gardner with a calf issue, backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor with a knee injury, veteran wideout Allen Lazard with a right shoulder problem, and young running back Isaiah Davis with an ankle setback are all expected to be ready for kickoff.

With star players targeting a return, fans in New York have reason to anticipate more victories. Glenn is also putting heavy focus on building the framework around Justin Fields, scouting the league for any and every stray talent.

Aaron Glenn scoops up the Colts reject

As franchises around the league have finalised their active 53-man squads, the Jets have secured another key piece for quarterback Justin Fields. NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported on Wednesday, August 27, that the team was awarded tight end Jelani Woods off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts. Woods has a backup role on the roster and is joining the room with Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, and Stone Smartt.

Woods, drafted in the third round in 2022, flashed potential as a rookie with 25 receptions for 312 yards at an average of 12.5 per catch. He also found the end zone three times. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 253 pounds, he brings rare size to the Jets’ offense. Coach Aaron Glenn highlighted the addition, saying, “A huge tight end that’s going to help us as a blocker and as a receiver.” Glenn has it all mapped out in his head, rather than keeping Woods as a backup and away from the action.

The Colts had released Woods as part of their final roster cuts after he logged seven catches for 75 yards during preseason action. That decision opened the door for the Jets, who wasted no time in capitalizing. At only 26, Woods enters with the potential for a breakout year in the New York system.

On Tuesday, August 26, Jets X-Factor reporter Connor Long revealed on social media that Woods “had a ton of interest” across the league. He noted that New York was among the teams “heavily interested” in acquiring the tight end. The Jets ultimately got their man, further reinforcing the attack around Fields. Maybe the doubts about the O-line will finally pipe down?