The Detroit Lions will have two new coordinators calling plays next fall.
The New York Jets agreed to a deal with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to become their next head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
The Lions were eliminated from the playoffs Saturday by the Washington Commanders. Glenn became available to be hired after the loss.
“This place is special for me,” Glenn said in a statement to the team website. “From the time I was drafted and practiced on Long Island, to the time I came back as a scout in New Jersey, this organization has always felt like home. I’m thankful to Mr. Johnson (Jets owner Woody Johnson) for this opportunity. To our players, prepare to be coached with everything we have. That is our responsibility. I ask that we share the same vision and that’s working towards winning a championship. To our fans, simply put, expect a winning team that you will be proud of.”
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Glenn had virtual interviews with five teams during the Lions’ first-round playoff bye – the Jets, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders – and turned down a sixth with the New England Patriots.
He emerged as a top candidate for both the Jets and Saints openings, but had a special bond with the Jets as the team’s first-round pick in 1994.
Glenn played eight seasons and made two Pro Bowls with the Jets in 1997-98, and spent two seasons with the team as a scout. He spent five years as an assistant with the Saints before joining Dan Campbell’s initial staff in Detroit in 2021. He
On Monday, the Bears hired Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach.
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In his fourth year with the Lions, Glenn oversaw one of the league’s most injury-riddled but opportunistic defenses this fall.
The Lions went 15-2 in the regular season, had the league’s seventh-best scoring defense and tied for fifth with 16 interceptions despite finishing the year with five defensive starters, including their top two pass rushers, on injured reserve. Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg in October, Alim McNeill tore his ACL in December, Carlton Davis broke his jaw before Christmas and Marcus Davenport (triceps) and Derrick Barnes (knee) suffered season-ending injuries in the same September game.
Glenn’s defenses consistently ranked in the bottom half of the league in yards allowed, but players have long praised his aggressive approach and authentic leadership style.
“We all know AG and obviously he’s a hell of a coach, hell of a teacher, hell of a person,” linebacker Alex Anzalone said. “I say this a lot, every leadership quality and everything that Dan gets credit for and everything like that, I think AG has that in him as well. It’s just a matter of time to get that opportunity and I think it’s going to be this year. So I’m happy for him, I’m excited for him and I know he’s been wanting it, so we’ll see what happens.”
Glenn said in mid-January he had “a really good time” on the interview circuit this year and refuted the notion he was just a defensive coach.
“I’m a coach, I just happen to be on defense,” he said. “I understand the offense just as well as a number of people, so if you want to hire me, you’re going to hire a coach, you’re not going to hire a defensive coach. I’m going to talk to the offense just as much as I’m going to talk to the defense.”
As for his leadership style, Glenn said it’s always been his goal to influence “everybody that I come in contact with” in a positive way.
“I don’t take that for granted when it comes to players because that’s my responsibility,” he said. “It’s almost the same as my children, I want to make sure that everybody that I come in contact with, that when they leave AG that they have something positive to say. And it’s not always going to be like that, cause I do get pissed off at people, too. But to me that’s what I want to impart on every player that I come across, even the players that end up leaving here. I want to impart something positive into them so as they go about their way, that I’ve taught them something that can make them a better person and a better player.”
The Lions have multiple in-house candidates to replace Glenn as defensive coordinator, or could look outside the organization.
Glenn said in December he was mentoring linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to be a defensive coordinator in the near future, defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend interviewed for the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator job during the bye and defensive line coach Terrell Williams doubles currently as the defensive run game coordinator.
