Marcelino McCrary-Ball Earns Unlikely Jets Captaincy as Aaron Glenn Shapes New Culture

Marcelino McCrary-Ball was voted a team captain Wednesday night as the New York Jets head into their first regular-season practice under new coach Aaron Glenn, a symbolic step in what the organization says is a broader cultural reset.

Teammates selected six captains during a team meeting, and those players will lead Tuesday’s practice as the Jets prepare to open the season Sunday at MetLife Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Glenn, who was hired in January as the 22nd head coach in franchise history, has been the focal point of an offseason push to move past a prolonged stretch of losing and recalibrate the program’s approach to coaching, roster construction and daily preparation.

Coaches and front-office officials have described the captain vote and the decision to hand on-field leadership responsibilities to players as part of a deliberate process that began in the spring and continued through training camp. McCrary-Ball’s elevation to captain came after that sustained evaluation, according to team sources, and was presented internally as a reward for steady work and consistent influence in meetings, practices and the locker room.

The vote doubles as a practical leadership move for a club entering a high-stakes environment: the Jets have their first meaningful practice since the preseason and face a nationally watched opener against a veteran Steelers team and a former MVP quarterback. The captains will be responsible for leading on-field warmups, representing the roster in interactions with coaches during practice and setting the tone in the lead-up to Sunday’s game.

Glenn’s arrival in January marked a clear change in message for the franchise, which has spent much of the past 15 years trying to reestablish itself in the AFC East. Team officials said Glenn’s emphasis on accountability and day-to-day detail has been a consistent theme during meetings with players. Officials and coaches framed the captain vote as one of several steps to instill that accountability across the roster.

Players and staff have sought to avoid dwelling on the franchise’s recent history of inconsistent play, coaching turnover and organizational decisions that did not translate into wins. Instead, the focus has been on small, measurable changes: practice standards, clearer leadership structure and a unified voice on the field. The captaincy of McCrary-Ball, described by teammates as an "unlikely" selection by some observers, was characterized internally as the natural result of those changes rather than a dramatic break from the past.

The Jets will hold their first full practice under head coaching direction Tuesday, with the six captains leading the session. The team has one more week before kickoff, during which coaches will fine-tune game plans, evaluate situational personnel and continue to embed the leadership group that players chose Wednesday night.

Sunday’s season opener at MetLife will offer the first public test of the new structure and the captains’ role in implementing Glenn’s plan. Officials said the week’s practices, meetings and the captain-led preparation are all intended to give the Jets the best chance to compete immediately, even as the organization works to build a longer-term foundation for sustained success.