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During a recent appearance on ESPN New York, Adam Schefter said the Jets’ organization has become very tight-lipped since the new football regime took over:
“[Aaron Glenn] has made it clear to the team and organization – ‘guys, we don’t want anyone talking – I’m going to stand up here and represent the organization.'”
So Schefter feels that Glenn wants one voice representing the organization with the media, and that is him.
“I’m just telling you there are people that are not returning my call – fine, okay, I got it – clearly they want one voice speaking for this team,” Schefter said.
And isn’t that how it should be? With due respect to Schefter, who is perhaps the top NFL media insider in the business, why should people, aside from Glenn, if the coach is so inclined, return his calls?
Glenn is the boss.
Why should somebody other than the top boss be talking about the Jets with the top NFL insider?
Not their job.
The Jets’ main focus right now should be on how they can finally turn things around and break a 14-year playoff drought, not supplying insiders with content.
How does calling back NFL insiders help the Jets win games?
And, obviously, there have been some leak issues over the last few years, especially to “The Athletic.”
“They don’t like all the things that happened in the past – new regime, new perspective, new outlook and they want to approach this is a different way and I don’t think it’s a coincidence it’s been quiet because that is the way the lead man wants it done,” Schefter said.
Just like his mentor, Bill Parcells, who was a proponent of the one voice approach, and surely stressed this to his protégé.
In fact, when Parcells took over the Jets in 1997, he had phone records checked to see if anybody was making calls out of the building to reporters.
He even went as far as putting out a phony player transaction internally, and see if any reporter got it.
A reporter got it, and Parcells had security check the phone records to see who leaked it.
Not saying Glenn is checking phone records at this point, especially since there have not been any tangible leaks, but he is taking the “one voice” approach for sure.
“That is going to work for a while, but inevitably it’s going to soften up some – it has to over time, but he has made it very clear they don’t want all these voices talking,” Schefter said.
Why would it soften up?
For what reason?
If this is how Glenn wants to handle things, why would he change it two years from now, or whenever?
It’s almost like Schefter is saying this approach might not be sustainable?
Why not?
If you hire the right people and train them properly, why would this change?
Maybe it’s wishful thinking from Schefter, or he’s trying to send a message to the Jets, you better start playing ball with me again soon, or there could be a price to pay.
There is always a price to pay when you don’t play ball with the media and play the quid pro quo game. That isn’t a Schefter-centric point. It’s widespread over the media landscape.
But this one-voice approach is the best way to go.
Loose lips . . .
July 7, 2025