Five of the last six coaches Jets owner Woody Johnson has hired have been defensive coaches.
Only two (Eric Mangini and Rex Ryan) led the Jets to the playoffs.
Gang Green could hire another defensive coach during its latest coaching search. However, the top candidate, Aaron Glenn, doesn’t consider himself strictly a defensive coach — he describes himself as an all-around coach.
“I’m a coach, I just happen to be on defense,” Glenn said during his weekly press conference on Wednesday. “I understand the offense just as well as a number of people.
“So if you want to hire me, you’re gonna hire a coach, you’re not gonna hire a defensive coach. I’m gonna talk to the offense just as much as I’m gonna talk to the defense.”
After missing the playoffs for 14 straight years, the Jets need someone like Glenn, who can influence all three phases (offense, defense, and special teams).
Glenn has experience as a player, personnel scout and assistant coach. He is also a disciple of Bill Parcells and Sean Payton and is a culture builder who has helped Lions players buy into the organization’s culture.
The Jets interviewed Glenn on Jan. 9 for their coaching opening. He is one of the 10 candidates known to interview for the position, with more to come. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will be interviewed on Thursday. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will meet with the team later this week.
Glenn, 52, is one of the favorites for the Jets job because he, along with coach Dan Campbell, led the Lions to a 15-2 record and the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season. Detroit finished 20th in total yards (342.4) and seventh in points allowed (20.1) despite being ravaged by injuries. That improved from the 2023 season when the Lions allowed 23.2 points per game.
Glenn was also drafted by the Jets in 1994 and was a two-time Pro Bowler under Parcells. However, his beginning coaching journey separates him from many coaches.
Beginning in 2012, Glenn worked as a scout in the Jets organization for two seasons. He called then-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum regarding opportunities so he could start his scouting career, according to the team’s official website. Glenn then attended the 2012 Senior Bowl and NFL Combine on his own dime.
After spending two seasons as a Jets scout, Glenn was hired as the Browns’ assistant defensive backs coach (2014-15) before Payton hired him in 2016 as the Saints’ defensive backs coach. Glenn spent five seasons in New Orleans before Campbell hired him as the Lions’ defensive coordinator after he got the coaching job in Detroit.
Reportedly, Glenn has told people close to him that the Jets are his preferred destination. However, they aren’t the only team potentially interested in hiring Glenn. The Saints, Jaguars, Bears, and Raiders have either already interviewed Glenn or requested to do so.
Gang Green has cast a wide net in its general manager and coaching searches after firing Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh during a 5-12 season. The team cannot interview Glenn again until the Lions either win the Super Bowl or are eliminated.
“I think you learn a number of things from each year that you go through them, and you try to improve on those each year,” Glenn said. “But the one thing that I get out of all these interviews is, ‘Man, I’m gonna be myself, and either you like it or you don’t.’
“If you don’t, all good. I keep telling you that I have a great job here. If you like it, and it’s an opportunity that I think is best for me and my family, then I’ll take a look at it. But had a really good time over the bye week looking at those. Now, we’re all locked in, ready to go play this game against Washington.”
The Patriots were another team that requested to speak to Glenn. However, Glenn declined the request, and New England didn’t waste time hiring Mike Vrabel.
The Patriots were heavily criticized for their hasty hiring of Vrabel. The NFL’s Rooney Rule requires that each team with a coaching or general manager vacancy interview two minority coaches before hiring. New England brought in Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich for interviews, but neither was considered a serious candidate for the position.
“I’ve never felt anything against that organization,” Glenn said about declining the Patriots interview request. “It just wasn’t the best situation for me.”