Former New York Jets interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich recently joined the Atlanta Falcons as their new defensive coordinator.
There was very little doubt that Ulbrich would be moving on from Gang Green. While he was respected, no one ever thought he had a chance to hold onto the job permanently.
Interestingly, Ulbrich recently spoke about how the overall “lack of truth” helped doom the Jets’ season.
“I learned even more than I knew the value of truth-tellers on your staff,” Ulbrich said. “There’s certain things that need to be told to the head coach that are occurring because a lot of times what I found in that interim role was, although it was interim, it was like I felt the shift in the way people talked to me and treated me and what they said to me and the lack of truth sometimes was really detrimental, you know?
“So it just it reinforced the idea that [Falcons head coach Raheem Morris] is going to need me in that way, to make sure that I’m always telling the truth and maybe, you know, eliminating some of the blind spots that he doesn’t see.”
“There is an element of a failure for myself in that way because I didn’t delegate,” Ulbrich continued. “I didn’t. I just took it all on myself. In my mind’s eye, I was trying to create continuity and I didn’t want a fractious staff.
“I thought the best thing for me to do at that point in time was just try to keep everybody in the same role that they had just so we could keep things rolling. And it wasn’t the right thing to do. It wasn’t as I look back. I should have delegated. I should have given the defensive coordinator responsibilities to someone else.”
Now, the Jets have officially charted their course for the future, announcing the hiring of Aaron Glenn as head coach and Darren Mougey as general manager.
With these pivotal appointments, the franchise aims to rebuild its identity and reclaim its standing in the AFC East.
Now that the leadership puzzle is complete, attention shifts to the roster.
Glenn and Mougey face the task of evaluating who stays and who goes as they reshape the team in their vision. During his introductory press conference, Glenn left no doubt about his mindset heading into this new chapter.
“Put your seat belts on and get ready for the ride, put your seat belts on, and get ready for the ride,” Glenn said.
“Listen, there are going to be some challenges, but with challenges becomes opportunity, but here’s what I do know, we’re the freaking New York Jets, we’re built for this sh*t.”
It’s a bold statement from Glenn, whose fiery rhetoric signals a no-nonsense approach to his first stint as an NFL head coach.
Despite the confidence Glenn exudes, the Jets are coming off a terribly disappointing season marred by struggles both on and off the field. A quick turnaround may not be in the cards, but Glenn appears undaunted by the uphill battle.
Having said that, we all know that the Jets are a different animal. There is so much negative energy surrounding the franchise. Turning things around won’t be easy – especially for a first-time head coach.
Glenn is a respected coach and leader. In some ways, he was channeling his inner Rex Ryan with his tough-talk approach.
You can make the argument that the only way to change things with the Jets is to truly shake things up. Perhaps that’s what Glenn and company are trying to do.
While many people love the attitude and bravado, the “we’re the freaking New York Jets, we’re built for this sh*t” line struck a funny cord with many around the league.
What are your thoughts on the Glenn hire? … Will he (and Mougey) get things turned around for Gang Green???
