The New York Jets hosted the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, with the AFC East franchise looking to end their horrible start to the season that has left them winless through six weeks
14:12 ET, 19 Oct 2025Updated 14:12 ET, 19 Oct 2025
Aaron Glenn made a bold decision on the opening drive despite the Jets being in field goal range
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Aaron Glenn made a bold decision on the opening drive despite the Jets being in field goal range(Image: Getty Images)
Aaron Glenn is winless as a head coach entering Week 7. On the opening drive against the Carolina Panthers, his New York Jets made a bold move — and it backfired.
The Jets are 0-6 for the third time in team history. In Week 6, the AFC East franchise traveled to London, where they fell 13-11 to the Denver Broncos and produced just 82 yards of offense in a disappointing showing.
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Wide receiver Garrett Wilson confronted Glenn on the sideline over a mismanaged end-of-half sequence, and tension around the locker room suggests the head coach is under intense pressure already. The Jets hired Glenn on a five-year deal, but after a difficult start to life in New York, he is already appearing desperate offensively.
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On the first possession of the game, with fans struggling to listen to the commentary, Justin Fields and a strong running attack led by Breece Hall — who could be traded — moved downfield. After the drive stalled, Glenn made the decision to go for it on fourth down, clearly hoping to try and put a touchdown on the board early.
The move backfired. Glenn also took Hall out, and Fields’ pass to Josh Reynolds fell incomplete. Turnover on downs. Panthers ball.
The Jets were on the 34-yard line when their drive stalled. This would have been a 52-yard field goal for kicker Nick Folk, who converted from that range at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week ago. He also hasn't missed a kick all season.
On the ensuing drive, the Panthers leaned on Bryce Young and running back Chuba Hubbard to move downfield themselves. Young fumbled out of shotgun, but picked the ball back up and completed a fine 11-yard pass to rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The Panthers then scored a field goal, with head coach Dave Canales deciding to turn to kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, who made no mistake from 30 yards out. It meant the Jets ultimately fell behind early in a game they should have taken the lead with an early field goal, but Glenn’s decision backfired. Folk kicked a field goal in the second quarter to make the score 3-3.
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Justin Fields' fourth-down pass fell incomplete
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Justin Fields' fourth-down pass fell incomplete(Image: Getty Images)
Last week versus the Broncos, Fields completed nine of 17 passes for 45 yards. The quarterback has been criticized for holding the ball too long, which many Jets fans consider a flaw that has stalled the offense — but Glenn likened the 26-year-old to MVPs Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
“I know that's a huge topic that everyone talks about, Glenn said. “But there’s a lot that goes into that. When you look at the time he gets the ball out, some of those have been his best games... when he's holding the ball three seconds or whatnot.
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“That's who he is. Sometimes it's play calls, the way he sees things. I'm not sitting here saying he doesn't need to get the ball out," he continued. "There's a quick game where the ball needs to come out. You work on those in practice. There's also an element of, we know who that player is.”
He added: “You look at Lamar [Jackson], his numbers getting the ball out are higher than Justin's. Josh Allen's numbers are higher than Justin’s. I think everybody tends to see who those guys are and understand that. For some reason, they don't understand Justin.”
The opening drive proves that Glenn has immense trust in his quarterback. It remains to be seen how much longer it will last.