The Jets are one of five teams that have no primetime games on their schedule this season, but coach Aaron Glenn is telling his players they have to earn those games under the lights.
“To me, it’s more of you earn the right,” Glenn said Tuesday. “And yes, you can use that as motivation, but you earn the right. That’s the good thing about this league, you earn your right — players, coaches, everybody. You earn your right to get what you get in this league.”
The Jets were frequently featured in primetime games in recent years, especially when Aaron Rodgers was their quarterback. But a 3-14 season in 2025 has made them less than appealing to the NFL schedule makers.
As for Glenn’s other thought on the schedule, it’s pretty simple: “Play who they give us.”
The Jets flirted with veteran quarterback Russell Wilson last month, having him into Florham Park for a visit. Wilson said the team made him a contract offer, but the QB had decided to join the CBS TV crew instead.
Glenn was asked Tuesday what effect Wilson’s decision has on the plan at quarterback.
“Nothing at all,” Glenn said. “I think the last time we talked I had said that we were looking at number of quarterbacks, and listen, that’s just what it was. I mean, listen, hopefully he will have a good TV career. Heck, I know that he’ll be good at it, and congrats to him.”
The Jets currently have Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook and rookie Cade Klubnik behind Geno Smith at quarterback. They seem content to roll with that group for now, but it would not be surprising if they added a veteran before the season as Smith’s backup.
Glenn said the team will have two joint practices with the Buccaneers in Florham Park before their preseason game in August. That means a return to Florham Park for former coach Todd Bowles, who is now the boss in Tampa Bay. It is not the first time Bowles will be back since he coached the Jets from 2015-18. There was a joint practice with the Buccaneers in 2023.
“That’s a damn good team to have joint practices against,” Glenn said.
The Jets will not have any joint practices with the Steelers or Giants, their other two preseason opponents.
