New Jets head coach Aaron Glenn takes a timeout to kick off his Gang Inexperienced tenure to speak in regards to the Jets’ future and his previous with the crew in a Q&A with Put up columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Do you visualize?
A: I do. I don’t take it to the extent of how some individuals discuss it. However, I all the time see myself. … I all the time see the top earlier than something within the center. I all the time see that is the place it’s going, that is what’s going to occur. That’s why I do know it’s going to be one thing particular carried out right here, I already see the top.
Q: What do you see if you see the top?
A: I see Tremendous Bowl. I already see it. It’s going to occur. It’s going to take some work, however I see it.
Q: What particularly do you see?
A: I see myself on that podium. I see Woody [Johnson, team owner] on that podium. I see inexperienced and white confetti. … I don’t know what stadium it’s in, however we’re on grass. I see us up there. I don’t know who it’s going to be towards, however I see myself holding that trophy with Woody. … I don’t know why Terry Bradshaw is in it, however he’s in it (chortle). He’s a part of it when it pops up.
Q: How usually does it pop up?
A: Fairly usually.
Q: What drives you?
A: Ever since I’ve been younger, I need to be the perfect at what I do. And I need to be the primary. I need to be No. 1. I’m nonetheless pissed as a result of I wasn’t the primary nook taken within the [1994] draft, as a result of I knew I used to be higher than that participant.
Q: Who was it?
A: Antonio Langham. He went 9 and I went 12. I’m pissed at that also. My spouse and youngsters’ll inform you that. And I’m nonetheless pushed by that. I’m nonetheless pushed by simply profitable. … I feel that’s what I used to be born to do is win. Pay attention, I’m going to have my losses. It’s going to occur. However on the finish of the day, profitable is who I’m. Successful is what I’m about.
Q: How would you describe your motivational type?
A: I’m a really aggressive however impassionate, I’d say, speaker. [I’m] demanding, however not a demanding particular person. … I’m going to be on you, but it surely’s not going to be to some extent to the place I’m going to disrespect you. And I feel that has reached individuals greater than every other factor that I’ve ever witnessed, as a result of they understand it’s popping out of affection. It’s not popping out of pointing the finger or being disrespectful, it’s popping out of, “Man, I do know you are able to do this, I’ve seen you do that. Since I’ve seen you do that one time, I’m going to attempt to get this out of you each time. I’m not going to can help you accept something lower than that.”
Q: What received’t you tolerate?
A: Don’t disrespect your teammates and don’t disrespect the sport.
Q: Do you’ve gotten guidelines?
A: Three guidelines: Don’t be late … don’t disrespect your teammates and don’t disrespect this recreation. This recreation has carried out so much for me, it’s carried out so much for lots of us, and we’re not going to disrespect it.
Q: What’s your definition of toughness?
A: There’s so many various methods you’ll be able to go together with that, as a result of there’s bodily toughness and there’s psychological toughness. Clearly bodily toughness is having the ability to maintain in a bodily surroundings for a protracted time period. And psychological toughness is being calloused, as a result of adversity goes to hit. Throughout coaching camp, my job is to make our gamers as calloused as attainable. Which means that when we get within the season, we’re going to undergo a lot throughout coaching camp, and by the point you get to the season, the arduous stuff, you’re going to be calloused to have the ability to undergo that. I’m going to place guys via that in coaching camp. It’s not going to be straightforward in coaching camp.
Q: Burst, velocity and end?
A: These are some issues defensively that I educate, is burst, which is a change of velocity … end, which is completion. And velocity is only a most price. So in case you run a 4.3, I need to see a 4.3.
Q: Your spouse Devaney informed me you’re constructed for this. Why are you constructed for this?
A: I’ve had challenges like all my life. I used to be all the time the one not to have the ability to do it.
Q: Folks informed you, you couldn’t do it?
A: Oh yeah. That’s in loads of various things. I wasn’t the most important, I wasn’t the strongest. I didn’t market myself like different individuals marketed themselves. All these issues, and she or he’s been with me for 28 years and she or he’s seen me overcome all these issues after which make a reputation for myself. And I really feel like I’ve a confidence about myself, and it’s not vanity. … I simply really feel like it doesn’t matter what, I’m going to win. I’ve been part of profitable for fairly some time in my life. Pay attention, I’ve had some losses too, however I received fairly a bit in my life, and I really feel like I do know what it takes to win. And I really feel like I do know what it takes to maintain profitable additionally.
Q: What was the most important factor you needed to overcome?
A: My dad handed away. Once more, he was probably the most influential particular person in my life, and when he handed away, it simply felt like there was a void. I’m going to cherish day-after-day that I’m on this earth. No matter obstacles come my manner, I’m seeking to defeat them. Something, no matter it’s, I’m going to defeat it. As a result of I noticed how defeated I used to be when my dad handed, and I do know that’s not what he needed me to do, as a result of it undoubtedly wasn’t him. So any impediment that comes my manner, man, I’m going to leap at it, I’m going to defeat it and I’m going to win it doesn’t matter what. Identical to this chance proper right here.
Q: What occurred to your dad?
A: He had a mind aneurysm. … I feel he was 70 on the time. … Ten years in the past. I attempted to place it out of my thoughts. It was powerful.
Q: In what manner have been you defeated?
A: My dad used to rise up at 4 o’clock within the morning. He wouldn’t come again till 9, 10 [p.m.]. So after I was a child, clearly I wasn’t up at 4, so I by no means noticed my dad within the morning. After which when he was coming dwelling, my mother was getting us prepared for mattress. And after we performed completely different actions, clearly my dad couldn’t be part of it. A few of my siblings, that they had a tough time with that. They didn’t get it, they didn’t perceive. My mother by no means labored. And clearly it’s going to be arduous for her to work with 11 youngsters (chuckle) to attempt to care for and attempt to take to completely different actions. She was a rock in itself to have the ability to do this. I shortly figured this out that my dad sacrificed himself, he sacrificed having the ability to do issues along with his youngsters to verify he’s going to place meals on the desk. And to me, that’s the definition of sacrifice. … And it’s additionally the definition of management to the place, “I’m going to take the backseat, and I’m going to work my ass off to be sure that I can feed my household.” And, that’s all he thought of, it doesn’t matter what. And I had to verify I educate a few of my siblings on, “Pay attention, you bought to consider what he needed to do to feed 11 youngsters.”
Q: Which one have been you?
A: Fortunate quantity 7 (smile).
Q: Describe the traits of an Aaron Glenn soccer participant.
A: It begins with my teaching employees. Then it goes to help employees. Then it goes to the soccer gamers. I’m in search of guys that — this could possibly be women and men — that love soccer. Folks which might be extremely, extremely aggressive. And folks which might be going to endear themself to their teammates or co-workers. That’s the very first thing I search for. I need to know the who earlier than I do know the what relating to a participant. I need to know who the participant is. Does he love soccer? How aggressive is he? Does he endear himself to his teammates, and to the energy and conditioning coach, to the gear employees? How does he function with them? Then relating to an id, I would like sensible, powerful, aggressive and resilient. And really break that down into this one phrase: I need a “STAR” — sensible, powerful, aggressive and resilient. And people are the issues that I see on tape. So I’ve traits of what I would like the particular person to be, after which the id of the particular person is what I see on tape. That’s the STAR.
Q: Who’re some nice leaders you admire?
A: I’d say the primary one is Martin Luther King [Jr.]. All the good leaders that I’ve identified in my life actually influenced anyone they have been round. After they stepped right into a room, there’s simply one thing about that person who influences the room. Martin Luther King was a type of guys. My dad [Amos Cleo] was one other one. My dad was extremely influential due to who he was within the metropolis of Houston. And the best way he operated. He was a self-made man. He had a wooden contracting enterprise the place he employed individuals within the neighborhood. I come from a small city [Humble, Texas], and there wasn’t loads of jobs that was being given to individuals in our neighborhood. My dad was one of many solely males that owned his personal enterprise. He used to haul pulp wooden, and we had these big 18-wheelers, we had an enormous piece of land. … Invoice Parcells … Sean Payton … Dan Campbell. These guys have been very, very excellent leaders to me.
Q: What do you keep in mind in regards to the flight dwelling following the Jets’ 1998 AFC Championship loss in Denver?
A: Oh, man. I’ll inform you the very first thing, Wayne Chrebet’s sister obtained jumped on [in the parking lot]. So I used to be pissed at that. And it was clearly a protracted flight again to New York. I can keep in mind [shortly after] halftime, we have been up 10-0. And I used to be saying to myself, “Man, we’re about to go to the Tremendous Bowl.” We have been going to play Atlanta, they beat Minnesota on a area objective [in overtime]. And we beat Atlanta [28-3 in the regular season]. We beat the hell out of them. And, at halftime, I’m like, “Man, we’re on our manner.” It’s so loopy as a result of I simply had that feeling once more this previous season [2023] with Detroit, towards San Francisco. Like, “we’re about to go to the Tremendous Bowl” [before blowing 24-7 lead]. We faltered.
Q: What do you recall about Vinny Testaverde tearing his Achilles in Week 1 the subsequent season?
A: Oh, man. I felt we had the perfect crew within the league that yr. I believed our teaching employees did a extremely good job when our man went down. I feel we nonetheless ended up 8-8 that yr. It was devastating. Due to what we did that yr earlier than, I simply knew we have been going again. Pay attention, I don’t blame the accidents, I don’t. Hell, I simply went although that. However man, you had a man as polarizing as Vinny was at the moment, and pretty much as good as he was enjoying, I simply knew that was going to ship shockwaves not simply via the New York-New Jersey space, however via our crew too, that our chief went down.
Q: Do you keep in mind when Parcells addressed the crew after the ’99 season saying he would not coach the Jets?
A: I do. I knew it was going to occur. And I knew that he was going to nonetheless be in some capability half. It was simply who was going to be the man? And I come to search out out that Invoice Belichick wasn’t going to be the man. I knew that it was going to be a part of that tree, as a result of I understand how Invoice Parcells operates. I didn’t know precisely what Coach Belichick was going to do, however I knew it wasn’t going to be him.
Q: He didn’t inform you that.
A: No, no, I’m not going to go in to that.
Q: So you weren’t shocked when Belichick had that press convention.
A: No. However that was a shock to the system after I first heard it. However man, that was a loopy day, there was a lot occurring, there was a lot media protection. I felt for among the gamers that we had, as a result of No. 1, Invoice was stepping down and a couple of, Invoice was stepping down (chortle). After which, who’s the subsequent man? Then it’s going to be Al Groh, who all of us revered anyway. It was only a completely different time.
Q: Three dinner visitors?
A: Martin Luther King, my dad, Michael Jordan.
Q: Favourite film?
A: “Shawshank Redemption.”
Q: Favourite actor?
A: Denzel [Washington].
Q: Favourite actress?
A: Halle Berry.
Q: Favourite singer/rapper/entertainer?
A: Scarface in Houston.
Q: Favourite meal?
A: Steak.
Q: Favourite participant rising up?
A: Walter Payton.
Q: Describe Darrelle Revis.
A: Among the finest.
Q: Deion Sanders.
A: The finest.
Q: The Pretend Spike in 1994?
A: Horrific.
Q: How usually did you go rodeos in Houston?
A: On a regular basis. Nonetheless do.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Put up
Q: Fast solutions. No matter you took from these guys: Parcells.
A: How you can push individuals.
Q: Payton.
A: Regarding gamers.
Q: Campbell.
A: Being genuine.
Q: When Parcells put just a little dollhouse in your locker to problem you to not let the receiver that week transfer into it.
A: Pissed.
Q: End the sentence: I shall be successful as a result of …
A: Due to work ethic.
Q: What’s your definition of a profitable tradition?
A: Properly, clearly it’s going to be in regards to the wins and losses. Nevertheless it’s individuals. Should you carry the precise individuals in, you create a profitable tradition. And it goes again to what I used to be saying earlier than: love soccer, extremely aggressive, endear themself to teammates and colleagues. If I get that, we’ll have a profitable tradition.