Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – “Hour 1: Jets Concern”

Date: September 3, 2025
Host(s): Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg, Don La Greca
Podcast: ESPN New York
Theme: New York Jets Outlook & Roster Concerns – Navigating Optimism and Realism

Episode Overview

The first hour centers around the New York Jets' growing concerns following a major injury to their offensive line, with an in-depth discussion on what this means for their season. The hosts dissect the logic behind the team's current build, the impact of key injuries, and broader questions about the direction under new head coach Aaron Glenn. Lively banter, pop culture sidetracks, and listener interaction (calls) round out the hour.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Injury to Alijah Vera-Tucker – Jets' Offense in Jeopardy

Start – 07:00

• Major news: Starting guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a season-ending torn triceps, making an already thin offensive line situation for the Jets even worse.
• Implications:
  • Hahn notes, “Depth already now compromised and my center's playing right guard. My center should be playing center and my all-pro caliber right guard should be the one we're running behind all day long.” (07:20)
  • Tippman likely moves to guard, Josh Myers to center—shuffling, but not replacing elite run-blocking.
• This news increases doubt about whether the newly built offense, anchored around the run, can succeed.

2. Jets' Strategy – Are They Just Managing Expectations?

10:00–16:30

• Is this a team building for a title, or just to stay competitive?
  • Hahn questions, “Are they doing this just to win games for their new head coach, for it to look presentable in his first year? Or are they doing this because they believe this is the best way to win a championship? Because if they think that's it, I think they're sorely mistaken.” (12:18)
  • Comparisons made to Eagles’ roster build, but appreciation that “you better get some better players than you think about right now.” (19:32)
• On Justin Fields: Is he the future, or just a placeholder?
  • Peter: “What about him is going to change? He's not a great passer. He's capable, but everything with him is offensive line and his running game. That was his best year.” (14:33)
  • Hahn: “If you're just going to have him game manage, then he's just a quarterback on the cheap that you're going to replace down the road.” (14:58)

3. Expectations for the Jets and Head Coach Aaron Glenn

08:50, 13:10, 16:01

• The hosts repeatedly emphasize this season seems designed to “usher in” their new head coach, reduce expectations, and buy time.
  • “This whole season was to usher in their new head coach and to lessen the expectations and just give him a year to just try to maybe win some games.” (15:10)
  • They debate whether moving on from Rodgers was football-based or about “taking back control.” (35:12)
• Noted optimism among the fanbase is more connected to Glenn’s persona and “Jet blood,” not necessarily roster talent.

4. Offensive Approach – Running Game and Fields’ Fit

10:20–18:00

• Emphasis on a “run-heavy offense” with Fields’ legs a key piece, modeled after successful teams like the Eagles.
  • Rosenberg tries to find the glass half-full: “This feels like an Eagles build. Eagles built at the line. Like, is Jalen Hurts considered a guy who's like a big time passer? What was he great at? His legs, his power, right. They had a great offensive line.” (18:15)
  • But: “Now you're not even sure you can do it this way because you just lost your best guard.” (12:43)
• Worries persist about if/when Fields needs to win as a passer—can he deliver in NFL moments?

5. Building Around Fields and Garrett Wilson – But Missing Pieces

17:00–19:30

• While Garrett Wilson is recognized as a top talent, concern is voiced about lack of a “Robin” to his “Batman.”
  • “I'm going to get everybody to think we're going to run the football and now I'm going to be lighting it up with Garrett Wilson. ...But maybe it's playing possum.” (17:38)
• Noted need for another veteran wide receiver, a la A.J. Brown with the Eagles.

6. Aaron Rodgers Departure – Control Issues and the Coaching Search

33:36–39:10

• Why was Rodgers let go?
  • The consensus: It wasn’t football, but power dynamics—“They wanted to, you know, take back control, if that makes sense.”—Peter (35:12)
  • “I don't even think... the reason he avoided the question was, hey, I never looked at any film. He was gone the second I got here. And I think everybody in the organization wanted that.” (36:14)
• Coaching search:
  • The job was less appealing due to uncertainty at quarterback—“But you made it less attractive by Rodgers not being there because now I don't have a quarterback.” (39:01)
  • Aaron Glenn’s hire was a “savior” move for a battered fanbase and front office.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Don (on optimism vs. reality):
  “How do you possibly take the over and stay optimistic with a defense that you think should be good, but we don't know, but an offense that we know is not lighting it up?” (07:41)
• Hahn (on the fanbase’s focus):
  “You've already seen the Jet fans rally around him. When I even suggest about how mean he is to the media. We don't care. We love. He's our guy.” (15:00)
• Rosenberg (on coaching control):
  “They wanted out of the business of Aaron Rodgers because they wanted to, you know, take back control, if that makes sense.” (35:12)
• On the parallels to recent NFL team-builds:
  “This feels like an Eagles build... but you need the quarterback. What are you building?” (18:07)
• Comic relief:
  Peter, joking about the adult language/innuendo when the segment switches to app-only:
  “Listen, you said we're still under the guise of ESPN. Let me tell you something. I've been under guys plenty of times and had a great time every time.” (02:33)

Other Segments & Listener Calls

Yankees & Mets

45:00–47:30

• Quick pivots to baseball, including astute and humorous fan observations about Yankees’ opponents, and lamenting the Mets latest loss (“You can't enjoy last night, it's already ruined. Whole series ruined.” – 24:37).

Parenting & Life Musings

27:00–32:00

• Hosts reflect on children going back to school, emotional stages as parents, and the bittersweet process of “raising someone to never need you.” (30:17)
• Rosenberg recounts seeing Van Gogh’s Starry Night at MoMA—“When you walk in and you actually see Starry Night on the wall in front of you, it is a bizarre feeling.” (31:43)

Show Anniversaries & Memories

42:16–44:19

• Don marks his 24th anniversary at the station, reminiscing about old studios and the evolution of their radio home.

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Jets injury, Vera-Tucker ramifications: 05:37–07:20
• Jets’ offensive philosophy and coaching intent: 10:00–13:10
• Fields as answer or stopgap: 13:10–16:01
• Parallel to Eagles, roster optimism check: 16:01–19:32
• Why did the Jets get rid of Rodgers?: 33:36–39:10
• Listener calls & baseball talk: 44:51–47:30
• Parenting/life reflections: 27:00–32:00
• Anniversary and show memories: 42:16–44:19

Tone & Banter

• The podcast alternates between analytic sports commentary, gallows humor about New York sports misery, and warm, personal anecdotes. There’s much camaraderie, playful jabs (e.g., Peter’s app-only jokes), and each host stays true to their persona: Don as the voice of reason and frustration, Hahn the pragmatic analyst, Rosenberg as the combination comic foil and cultural touchstone.

Summary Takeaway

This episode is a must for Jets fans trying to calibrate their optimism for the new season. The hosts lay out the concrete challenges facing the team—from injuries to identity questions—while tracing the tension between hope for the new era under Glenn and the realities of the roster. Laced with honest skepticism, insight, and trademark New York wit, it’s both a sobering and entertaining primer for the start of the NFL campaign.