A couple of days into training camp, Aaron Glenn said he wanted to see the Jets “nip in the bud” their penalty issues that have plagued the team for years.
If Saturday’s Green and White scrimmage was any indication, the Jets still have a lot of work to do in that area.
During that single session, the Jets committed 12 penalties in what Glenn called a “pseudo scrimmage.” A number of them were delay of game and holding infractions.
“There’s no excuses,” Glenn said following Saturday’s scrimmage. “Our players understand that because we know penalties are discipline issues, and we got to make sure we are more disciplined in that aspect on both sides of the ball. So, we will get those cleaned up, I promise you that, but there is a lot of work to do.”
During the previous two seasons, the Jets have been the NFL’s most penalized team. In 2023, the Jets were called for 124 penalties, which was nine more than the Browns and Cowboys and they finished 7-10.
Last season, the penalty issue was even worse for the Jets after committing 137 infractions, and that was one of the culprits behind a disappointing 5-12 record, which led to the firing of then-coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.
Glenn has said there are pre-snap penalties, “dumb penalties,” and competitive penalties. The Jets aim to eliminate false starts, jumping offsides, hitting after plays and other penalties within their control.
“We continue to emphasize it, and we watch it as a group and we try to understand exactly why did it happen. And it could be, like some of the holding calls, those can be technical issues, and as a coach, you try to fix those issues.
“Again, those are competitive penalties for the most part, and I’m not saying they’re OK, I’m not. But the thing is, we have to coach the technique on that to make sure they don’t happen again, and our players have to understand that.
“We had some great runs on a number of those penalties, and what, it doesn’t matter now because they bring them back. So, we got to do a good job of coaching, and the players have to do a good job of accepting the coaching and going out there and executing.”
To help with the penalty issue, Glenn has officials on the field during practices this summer. The Jets under Saleh rarely used officials during training camp practices last year. Several teams have officials at their practice to give players a sense of how they will be officiated before the start of the regular season.
“We were the most penalized team in the NFL last year, and that’s on us as players,” safety Tony Adams said. “Our last coaches preached discipline and we weren’t listening. We didn’t take heed to what they were saying.
“So Coach [Glenn] is making it an emphasis, this training camp that we have to cut down on the penalties because penalties lose games. I think guys been taking that message very well and we getting better. And some days we slack off and on those days it’s where you got to lock in even more.”
The Jets struggled not only with penalties on Saturday, but also with their passing attack. Quarterback Justin Fields completed just 2-of-12 passes and he was harassed in the backfield several times by defenders.
Fields and the Jets’ running backs had a couple of solid runs throughout the day. However, their offense, for the most part, struggled to move the ball consistently. Also, the Jets are still lacking a consistent wide receiver threat opposite Garrett Wilson.
“I mean [Fields] is kind of progressing throughout, and within the progression, we want to make sure that he understands what he’s seeing and make sure the ball goes where it needs to go,” Glenn said. “It’s been up and down for the most part. Somedays, like the other day, man, those guys went down there and made a lot of plays, but some days we know we got to get better.
“But for the most part, I think our guys have been doing a really good job. Like yesterday, I thought Arian [Smith] did a great job of making plays, especially explosive plays down the field. So, we got to keep improving in that area, we know that, but then again, we got to get Garrett the ball as much as we can also.”
GRATITUDE FROM GLENN AFTER FAN CHANT
During warmups on Saturday, fans in the stands started the “J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets” chant.
That’s when it really hit home for Glenn he is the coach of the Jets.
“It was actually during stretch, that’s when I heard the chant, and I took a moment to myself. It just hit me. It hit me pretty hard, and the only thing I was thinking about was just that I was grateful.
“I don’t know why, fellas, man, it hit me, and it hit me pretty hard. I just felt grateful, grateful to be in this position.”
Glenn is a Jet through and through after the organization selected him 12th overall in the 1994 NFL Draft. He spent eight seasons with the Jets and was a two-time Pro Bowler. Glenn also worked as a Jets scout for two seasons (2012-13) before he got into coaching.
Glenn was hired in January to help turn around a Jets team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010 and hasn’t registered a winning season since 2015. Following Saturday’s practice, Glenn said he told his players how much this opportunity to be the Jets coach meant to him.
“It hit me pretty hard, and man, I am so thankful,” Glenn said. “I’m thankful for this organization that gave me a shot. I’m thankful for this organization that gave me my second shot at becoming a coach.”
INJURY REPORT
Cornerback and special teams player Kris Boyd and wide receiver Xavier Gipson both suffered shoulder injuries during Saturday’s scrimmage.
Boyd suffered the injury during special teams drills and was visibly in pain on the sideline. After trainers looked at his left arm, Boyd was taken inside the Jets’ facility by cart.
Gipson went down towards the end of practice after red zone drills. After he appeared to be in a lot of pain, Gipson was checked out by trainers off to the side.
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