Jets’ Aaron Glenn names rising Lions assistant Tanner Engstrand new offensive coordinator-HN

The Detroit Lions are losing another member of their offensive coaching staff.

The New York Jets announced the hiring of Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand to be their offensive coordinator on Friday.

Engstrand joins the staff of new Jets coach Aaron Glenn, the former Lions defensive coordinator. He is the seventh Lions assistant to leave for a promotion this offseason, and the third to join the Jets.

Tight ends coach Steven Heiden left to become Jets offensive line coach Wednesday.

Engstrand worked closely with former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions quarterback Jared Goff the past few seasons, and typically was the first voice Goff and others heard from during the installation phase of the gameplan every week.

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Detroit Lions pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand watches practice at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.

Engstrand, who was passed over as Johnson’s replacement after Johnson left to become head coach of the Chicago Bears, told the Free Press that gameplan process involved putting a tape together of every play on the call sheet, up to 120 clips, and explaining why coaches thought those plays would work against the week’s opponent.

After Johnson installed the plays in a meeting with the entire offense, Engstand led a pre-walkthrough walkthrough for the Lions’ skill players.

In a normal Sunday game week, the Lions install first- and second-down packages on Wednesday, work on third downs on Thursdays and do red-zone work on Fridays. Goff said Engstrand did “a great job” with the installations.

MORE ON TANNER:Tanner Engstrand’s path to the Lions was anything but straight

“He’s great,” Goff told the Free Press in December. “He’s doing it only in the quarterback room at that time, but he’s great. He was an assistant quarterback coach briefly for me in 2021. So we’ve been in the room together for a long time. He can do it. He can speak all the languages you want to hear. He can answer all the questions. He can understand where you’re coming from and does a great job.”

Tanner Engstrand, left, playing musical instruments with his brother Travis, right.

Goff set career-highs with 37 touchdown passes and a 72.4% completion percentage this season, finished second in the league in passing yardage (4,629) and received MVP votes for the first time in his career.

With Johnson calling plays, the Lions had the NFL’s highest-scoring offense the past three seasons.

Engstrand joined the Lions as a midseason hire under Matt Patricia in 2020 and stayed on Campbell’s initial staff as a quality control assistant in 2021. He was promoted to tight ends coach when Johnson took over as pass game coordinator midway through the 2021 season, worked exclusively as pass game coordinator the past two years and was considered a top candidate for the coordinator job that was filled by former Lions assistant John Morton.

ANALYSIS:With Lions’ new OC in place, Dan Campbell is officially on the clock

Engstrand, who played quarterback in college at San Diego State, got his start in coaching as a volunteer graduate assistant for Jim Harbaugh at San Diego in 2005, when Morton was on the coaching staff.

Ohio State linebacker A. J. Hawk sacks San Diego State quarterback Tanner Engstrand at Ohio Stadium on Sept. 6, 2003 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated San Diego State, 16-13.

He called plays as offensive coordinator at San Diego and for the D.C Defenders in the XFL, and after interviewing virtually for offensive coordinator jobs with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots last year, told the Free Press this winter he felt ready to call plays in the NFL.

“I feel very lucky, I suppose, very fortunate to have been with a lot of good people along the way, a lot of good people to learn with, a lot of good people to work with,” Engstrand said. “And then just, you work hard. You’re doing what you love to do, your passion, you’re helping people. You’re getting to coach football, which you love. But I do, I feel very fortunate to be in the role and the position that I am over the years.

“It was a big struggle and it’s I guess perseverance, of course. You’re always working to be your best and let the chips fall where they may and good things will happen in due time and at the right time. Whether they’re on your time or not, something will happen.”

Engstrand is the second Lions assistant to leave for a coordinator job with another team this offseason and the eighth coach to leave overall.

Glenn and Johnson got head-coaching jobs. Johnson hired Lions receivers coach Antwaan Randle El as assistant head coach/receivers coach and assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett as quarterbacks coach, Glenn added Heiden as offensive line coach, and defensive line coach Terrell Williams joined Mike Vrabel’s staff with the New England Patriots as defensive coordinator.

Assistant defensive line coach Cam Davis also reportedly will not return.

The Lions promoted linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator last week, and added David Shaw as their new pass game coordinator Thursday.

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