Jets owner Woody Johnson offered buyouts to 170 of 250 employees last week.
He said a big reason was to help change the culture.
“That’s something that we thought was consistent with changing culture, giving everybody a chance to go in a different direction if they wanted, seek other opportunities, but also to move the whole organization forward in maybe a new and slightly different way,” Johnson said.
You can argue whether the buyouts were driven by culture or finances, but nobody can argue that the team needs to improve their culture after missing the playoffs for 14 straight years.
But who is going to oversee a cultural renaissance?
It has to be the new coach, Aaron Glenn.
While his job is to turn around the football team on the field, he’s going to have to be a powerful influence on EVERYONE in the building – all departments.
Glenn, who is a disciple of Bill Parcells, Sean Payton and Dan Campbell, three great culture builders, will have to leave his football wheelhouse sometimes, maybe more than he would like, and if he sees stuff that is counter culture anywhere in the building or the stadium, he needs to to make his feelings known.
Considering Glenn’s blunt, fearless persona, he will have no issue doing this, especially armed with a newly minted long-term contract.
He’s got the bully pulpit, and he has to use it.
Many of the powerful, high-ranking officials who decided who would stay or go were there during the cultural unraveling, along with some of the people they bought out, so you could argue they have some culpability as well.
So it is Glenn, coming from the outside, who must lead the Jets’ cultural rebirth, and not just on the practice field and in the locker room, but EVERYWHERE.
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