What I'm hearing about Aaron Glenn's status with the Jets and one team's coaching wish list

Aaron Glenn has time to get it right in New York, while Matt Nagy is on Tennessee's wish list. Ishika Samant, David Eulitt / Getty Images

It's not just snow and reindeer flying around this time of year. There's also paint.

Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson's lightning bolt logo flew off his helmet last week after a hit in Kansas City's below-freezing temperatures. (Jefferson was ejected.) A few weeks ago, New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss pounded New York Giants returner Gunner Olszewski, who fumbled as the "N" in "NY" went flying. The colder the helmet, the less pliable the paint -- a visual reminder to those of us cozy and warm at home that it's really cold out there.

There are plenty of ways to stay warm during an NFL game. Some head coaches wear scuba gear. Some players lather Vaseline all over their exposed skin to fight the wind. But nothing tops the Darth Vader-style capes. Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and even Jay Cutler helped make them famous on the sidelines during their playing days, to the point that grown men have asked me where they can buy one.

You can't. (Though San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk's wife, Kristin, could probably make them fashionable with her design skills.)

I asked a few NFL team equipment managers about the capes. The outside shell is like a rain jacket, while a quilted, parka-style layer is buttoned inside. One team actually buttons two coats together to create a single oversized cape. The material billows and flows in the wind and hangs off players' shoulders, which is why some coaches in the past have asked equipment managers to add sleeves so it doesn't look like players are being dramatic or "soft" in the cold. Stay warm guys, but look tough doing it!

And there's no time to be soft this time of year with 16 teams competing for 12 available playoff spots over the next three weeks. Thirteen teams have been eliminated from playoff contention and just three teams -- the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos -- are already dancing to the postseason.

Week 16 is here, and it's a big one. Here's what I'm hearing around the league on:

Aaron Glenn's first 11 months as New York Jets head coach have been loud and occasionally rocky, from tense news conferences to questionable quarterback decisions and the late-season firing of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games remaining. Through it all, owner Woody Johnson has remained patient, showing consistent support for both Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey.

While the record hasn't improved -- at 3-11, the Jets are actually a game behind last year's pace -- I'm told that "one-and-done" was never under consideration. Glenn's job is safe, and agents around the league are operating with the understanding that his position won't be open. The organization recognizes this rebuild will take time. This season has been about evaluating the roster, establishing a foundation and culture and trusting Glenn's long-term plan.

Glenn brings proven experience, as he helped the Detroit Lions transform from a 3-13-1 team in 2021 into a perennial playoff contender. New York's midseason trades involving Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were never about short-term wins; they were about giving this regime the pieces and draft capital to succeed down the line.

Patience is a virtue. Glenn believes the results will come later -- and Johnson agrees. For now, the Jets are building the foundation ... and betting on the long game.

Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and president of football operations Chad Brinker are leading the organization's head coaching search, and I'm told their list is taking shape.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is viewed internally as a serious candidate. Nagy will be in Nashville on Sunday with Kansas City, but NFL rules state there can't be any job discussions.

Tennessee also plans to reach out to several defensive coordinators, including the Indianapolis Colts' Lou Anarumo, the Green Bay Packers' Jeff Hafley, the Jacksonville Jaguars' Anthony Campanile, the Rams' Chris Shula, the Houston Texans' Matt Burke and the Chargers' Jesse Minter.

As is often the case with defensive-minded candidates, the Titans' first question will revolve around offensive staff construction, specifically, who these men would hire as offensive coordinator.

After two seasons spent searching for an identity, the hope inside the building is that the next hire can take control of an organization that has acknowledged its share of missteps.

Something team presidents, general managers and even owners have consistently shared with me over the years: One of the hardest traits to evaluate in interviews is a coach's ability to handle conflict. That's why phrases like "leader of men" get thrown around so easily, but actually identifying someone who can manage adversity, command a room and navigate difficult moments is far more challenging.

Speaking of Nashville, no-nonsense, pain-in-the-butt reporter Paul Kuharsky once asked then-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel a question about his record-setting running back: How many 5-year-olds would it take to bring down Derrick Henry?

Vrabel didn't love the question, but he paused to think. He acknowledged the kids would almost certainly be injured, then offered his best estimate: 35 children. He also quipped that Kuharsky should be part of the tackling squad. Their squabbles were highly entertaining.

Fast forward to now.

Vrabel is in New England, and this weekend the Patriots face the challenge of slowing down the coach's former star running back on "Sunday Night Football," with New England coming off a gut-punch of a loss to the Buffalo Bills. Obviously, the kids are off the table. But Derrick Henry is still Derrick Henry -- he's fifth in the NFL in rushing yards this season and is averaging 5.5 yards a carry over his last three games -- and just because New England's coaching staff knows him doesn't mean it can stop him. Familiarity doesn't guarantee Patriots defensive play caller Zak Kuhr can teach his defenders to bring down Henry's 6-foot-2, 252-pound frame at full speed, or neutralize that signature stiff-arm.

So how did New England practice it?

The best way to understand is by looking at the technique of current and former players coached by Vrabel. From past players like Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker to current defenders Craig Woodson and Jaylinn Hawkins, the focus is on chopping down the stiff-arm while swinging the off-arm to punch at the ball. But of course, practicing this is one thing; executing it against Henry at full strength is another entirely. And that's why, no matter how well you coach it, the King remains the King.

Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said referees told Detroit's receivers coach to shut down the team's booger-flicking celebration after the opening drive of their Week 15 loss to the Rams. Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and St. Brown all went digging for faux "nose gold" on that drive.

Naturally, I thought this was the perfect moment to get an expert opinion from a really good friend, former Buccaneers defensive tackle Anthony McFarland.

"Picking your nose is only a bad thing if you get caught," McFarland told me. "Otherwise, it's as natural as breathing."

Thanks, Anthony. If you know, you know.

Somewhere, a referee, a parent and a preschool teacher all nodded in agreement, even if the NFL's rulebook doesn't quite cover it.

The Indianapolis Colts made a desperate call to pull 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement in an effort to keep their season alive. While they came up just short against Seattle, the loss hardly tells the tale; in fact, this may end up being one of the stories of the year.

In less than 14 days, I'm told, Rivers has won over the entire building. "He controls the entire game," one Colts staffer told me. "He's a locker room leader. We all love him."

Even rival executives took notice. One AFC exec admitted he watched in awe: "It inspired me! (Colts coach Shane) Steichen should get a contract extension for simply how he managed that game. The defense played its ass off. The offensive line played its ass off. Special teams stepped up. It felt like everyone knew exactly what was required and delivered. They damn near beat an 11-win team because of it."

It all felt like a blast from the past -- in the best way possible -- because of the energy, the command, the checks at the line of scrimmage. And on Monday night against the 49ers, Rivers will be asked to do it again. San Francisco did its homework, watching tape of Rivers dating to 2010. With a season hanging in the balance, the Colts aren't just chasing wins. They're riding belief, and right now, it's coming from their quarterback, who also happens to be a grandpa.

The Coach of the Year conversation is crowded. Vrabel, Chicago's Ben Johnson, San Francisco's Kyle Shanahan, Jacksonville's Liam Coen and Seattle's Mike Macdonald all have strong cases. But one name many aren't talking about, and probably should be, is Sean Payton.

Just two years ago, he took over a Denver Broncos team in disarray, with six straight losing seasons and a mess at quarterback. Since then, he's drafted a new quarterback, reshaped the offense and ended an eight-season playoff drought all while absorbing a record amount of dead money from cutting a player ... $85 million, to be exact.

But Payton's influence goes beyond X's and O's. Denver needed direction, and after a year as a Fox studio analyst, Payton returned ready to lead. He hired Vance Joseph to coordinate what became one of the league's best defenses, made the tough call to move on from Russell Wilson and, most importantly, instilled belief.

Coming off a wild-card loss in January, Payton's message was clear: The goal was Santa Clara in February 2026. Faint images of the Lombardi Trophy were on slides in training camp. Denver, the league's only two-loss team, has won 11 straight, tying the franchise's longest winning streak this century. Former New Orleans Saints backup QB Chase Daniel, who played for Payton for six years, told me this past week, "Nobody can get you to believe in yourself and the impossible better than Sean Payton."

So why isn't Payton's name being discussed? One coach told me, "He already had success last season. The (significant) jump or surprise story usually gets the award."

To his point, the Rams' Sean McVay has been to the playoffs almost every season, has a Super Bowl title and has won the award only once. Andy Reid has taken Kansas City to five Super Bowls, and hasn't won the award as a Chief. Kyle Shanahan has never won it.

Still, transforming Denver into a potential top-seeded team while navigating dead money, a quarterback transition and a cultural overhaul is anything but incremental.

Payton's Broncos aren't just winning; they've gotten here the hard way. That deserves recognition.

Fitting for the holiday season, NFL offenses are using XL packages, with a sixth offensive lineman, more than ever before.

And it's no coincidence.

Across the league, teams such as the Patriots, Chargers, Bills, Texans, Broncos, Lions and Miami Dolphins are making a clear statement: They trust their sixth offensive lineman more than their second or third tight end.

The logic is simple. That extra lineman is a better run blocker at the point of attack and a more reliable pass protector, especially on play-action, than most TE2s or TE3s. With defenses getting lighter and faster to survive spread offenses, coordinators are leaning back into size.

There's also a chess-match element. When offenses roll out a sixth lineman, defenses typically respond by going base, which is exactly what offensive coordinators want. As one coordinator explained, "Base defenses mean fewer disguises, cleaner pre-snap pictures and a more predictable call sheet. We know the looks we're getting once they force a defense out of nickel, and that's a win for our quarterback."

The bonus? Play-action can still hit. Linebackers have to honor real offensive line bodies.

One GM summed it up simply: "This isn't about going old school. It's about efficiency, clarity and control, and right now, the sixth offensive lineman is giving offenses all three."

Fumble-2-ski was by far my favorite name nomination.

I'm referring, of course, to the signature play of the Seahawks' thrilling Thursday night comeback win over the Rams, Zach Charbonnet's recovery in the end zone of a backward pass that was tipped forward and ruled a good 2-point try after a review.

Depending on how the postseason plays out, that lateral pass could be the most consequential single play of the 2025 regular season.

"Officiating is brutal. Too many officials, not enough time on task. Too much is subjective," one NFC source said after watching the game.

By now, you've heard the stats: The Rams are the first team to lose a regular-season game in which they gained 500-plus yards of total offense and held a plus-three edge in the turnover margin. And in the process, they lost control of their playoff destiny.

If the Rams aren't playing at SoFi Stadium throughout the playoffs, they will look back on this season and rue the missed opportunities. They led the Eagles 26-7 and lost. They lost a "Thursday Night Football" game at home to a banged-up 49ers team. They led 30-14 on Thursday night in Seattle, and lost that one, too. And playing in a dome can only serve to help McVay's precision-based offense.

"The Rams never really have a home-field advantage with their fans. Most teams go in there, and the Rams are on the silent cadence," one AFC exec said. "But the home-field advantage is playing inside, in clean elements, to keep their entire offensive game plan up and rolling."

Now, in an ultra-competitive NFC West, one loss has the Rams chasing.

Since this column is called "What I'm hearing," it would be a big miss if I didn't share something I hear all the time from head coaches that still catches me off guard.

Most coaches have recall like brain surgeons. They can remember games from 10 years ago with perfect clarity: a single play, a route, a timeout, why it was called. I'm always impressed. McVay, Reid, Kevin O'Connell, Dave Canales, Shanahan ... they're all like this. They remember everything.

Well, not everything.

Many of these detail-oriented geniuses have the hardest time simply naming players. And I'm not talking about a backup safety on the Jaguars. I'm talking about the headliners. Maxx Crosby. Lamar Jackson. Joe Burrow.

The other day, one coach was breaking down a matchup from weeks ago and said, "If you can force ... who's the Mississippi State fourth-round pick ... uh ..."

I have no idea what he said after that because I couldn't believe it. He had just explained a situation from an NFC Championship Game eight years ago with perfect recall, but couldn't remember the name of the Cowboys' longtime starting QB. How?

It's one of those quirks of the job: Coaches can dissect a game like a computer, but the simplest names sometimes vanish. In their defense, many coaches study tape using roster numbers and positions, and by this time of year, everything just blends together.

So just remember, if your loved one forgets to get you that perfect gift this season, they're probably brilliant in other areas.

And to all of you reading, thank you for letting me share these moments with you. Most of you know my words here, but you'll get to hear them on Netflix on Christmas Day, when I'll be reporting from the sidelines for the Lions-Minnesota Vikings game at 4:30 p.m. (ET). I'm grateful to share it with all of you. (Although my husband is not happy I'm missing Christmas. Love you Kev!)