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Mike Francesa on a recent podcast doubled down on his contention that there was a power shift in the Jets’ football operation.
“The GM (Darren Mougey) has clearly usurped the power (of Aaron Glenn),” Francesa said last week on his podcast for BetRivers. “You are now hearing this everywhere. I said it to you six months ago, and everyone denied it. The Jets denied it. It’s true. [Mougey’s] running the show. It’s no longer equal. Glenn knows that and has to deal with it.”
Remember, on a March 16 podcast Francesa said, “(GM Darren) Mougey is now in charge, and my understanding is Woody (Johnson) made a decision that Mougey is in charge. So now, it’s not equal – Mougey is the guy and (Aaron) Glenn is the coach, but Mougey is kind of making the decisions.”
The story went away quickly when SNY’s Connor Hughes tweeted on March 17, “There has been zero change to the #Jets organizational power structure this offseason, according to sources. The team is operating exactly as they have been.”
Once Hughes, a rising star in the business, shot it down, many people put the story to rest.
So it’s interesting that Francesa said, “You are now hearing it everywhere.”
Where are you hearing it?
A couple of Jets fan websites?
“There has been a clear shift in the tone and commentary from people on the beat about the dynamic in the front office,” Jake Asman said on his postcast.
Where on the beat is this going on?
Asman pointed out that ESPN’s Rich Cimini said on a podcast he does with Asman and Brandon Tierney that Cimini said, “[Glenn and Mougey]Â are no longer attached at the hip.”
Is that a beat writer saying that Mougey is now in charge?
Not really.
Honestly, I’m not aware of any beat writer who has acknowledged Francesa’s scoop, which he circled back to and reiterated last week.
I’m talking about credentialed beat reporters who cover the team daily.
Find me one article or tweet from a credentialed beat writer that acknowledges Francesa’s huge story other than Hughes shooting it down.
Nobody seems to be touching it.
And also, have you seen it on any major sports website like ESPN, CBS Sports, or NFL.com?
If a head coach comes in with all the power, and then loses it after his first year, and that power goes to the GM, that is a pretty big story about the NFL, don’t you think? You’d think that when of the most famous sports talk hosts in history reports this, it would be a big deal.
But with this story – crickets.
To his credit, Asman talked about Francesa’s first report about a power shift, and then his most recent one.
Jets Nation’s Glenn Naughton referenced it. Maybe one or two other fans sites, but the credentialed beat has essentially ignored it.
Why? Perhaps they don’t want to upset Glenn or sources in the building. I really have no idea.
I have made my position clear on this – I can’t confirm the power shift just yet, but I refuse to side with either Francesa or Hughes, since I don’t know who either person’s source is, and the Jets have made no announcement (and I don’t expect them to).
So I’m in the middle on this one until I find out more. Just because Hughes shot down the story on Twitter in March doesn’t mean it’s not true. I refuse to pick sides with Francesa or Hughes.
But I have to disagree with Francesa on his assertion that, “You are now hearing this everywhere.”
When the entire beat and all the major sports websites are ignoring it, not sure it’s fair to say, “You are now hearing this everywhere.”
July 23, 2026
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