There has been no bigger storyline for teams like the New York Jets than whether they will finish out the year tanking for better draft positioning.
After missing out on Trevor Lawrence and plenty of other stars in years past, the Jets and tanking have been closely tied together. At 2-9 heading into a Week 13 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, whether this team will tank is once again on the minds of fans.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic shared a key update on the Jets potentially tanking the rest of the 2025 season. Despite the theory of tanking being appealing, Aaron Glenn’s Jets have no such plans.
Jets insider clears air on whether Aaron Glenn will tank rest of 2025 season
“And no, the Jets are not going to tank for better draft positioning – as they shouldn’t.” Rosenblatt writes.
Glenn also voiced his thoughts on tanking, saying, “I’m going to give you a line you guys heard before: We play the game to win.”
As the standings currently shape up, the Jets would be picking fourth overall behind the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and New Orleans Saints.
With Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart with the Titans and Giants, only the Saints could contend for a quarterback in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
While tanking the rest of the season to ensure a top pick would help the Jets potentially land their quarterback of the future, Glenn has no plans to tank the rest of the season.
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This decision, not to tank, might be met with criticism outside of the organization and from the fanbase. But, in the first year as head coach, as he’s trying to build a culture, tanking wouldn’t help Glenn in any way.
At 2-9, this Jets team might not have to tank on purpose to wind up with a top-five pick. With matchups against the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills left, that’s a few potential losses that could help the Jets land a top pick.
Their best bet to win a game again this season comes against the Falcons in Week 13, the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, and the New Orleans Saints in Week 16.
That Saints matchup could be the deciding factor for which team ends up with the higher pick. Some teams might tank such a game, but Glenn and the Jets have no such plans.
The New York Jets are not going to tank this season, as Glenn, in his first year as Jets head coach, will try to win every week, regardless of whether it harms their 2026 NFL Draft pick slot or not.
