After an extensive search, the Jets finally have a new head coach.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is the pick to lead Gang Green, according to sources.
Glenn met with the team starting on Tuesday in Florham Park. This was his second interview with the team, following a virtual interview earlier this month.
No other coaching candidate received a second interview from the Jets.
Lance Newmark, who is being considered for the Jets general manager role, also had a second interview on Tuesday. Glenn and Newmark left Florham Park Tuesday night without reaching a deal. Gang Green will continue its second round of interviews with general manager candidates.
After leaving the facility, Glenn continued talking with the Jets, and the deal was finalized on Wednesday afternoon. Reportedly, before anything was official, the Jets began informing other coaching candidates that they were no longer being considered.
After the Lions lost to the Commanders on Saturday night, Glenn was able to take second interviews with teams. He had a second interview scheduled with the Saints, where he played and was an assistant coach, for their coaching job later this week.
Glenn’s interview with the Saints was scheduled for Wednesday but postponed after a snowstorm hit the New Orleans area. He has also previously spoken to the Jaguars and Bears about their coaching openings, but Glenn accepted the Jets job instead.
Gang Green was considered a playoff contender entering the 2024 season after the return of Aaron Rodgers. However, the team finished a disappointing 5-12, and coach Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas were both fired in-season.
Glenn’s history with Gang Green is well known. The Jets selected the cornerback in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, and he played eight seasons here, making two Pro Bowls.
After his playing career ended, the Jets hired Glenn as a scout in 2012. He stayed with the team for two seasons before becoming a coach. Since then, Glenn has worked as an assistant with the Browns, Saints and Lions organizations and has been Detroit’s defensive coordinator for the last four years, helping turn around the team’s defense.
Glenn, 52, has no previous head coaching experience, but he has been praised as a culture builder after he and Dan Campbell helped the Lions go from bottom feeders to contenders.
Glenn’s defense dealt with many injuries throughout this season. However, en route to a 15-2 record, the Lions ranked seventh in scoring defense, allowing the second-lowest completion percentage (61.1%) and the lowest passer rating (82.0) in the NFL.
Those injuries affected the Lions’ defense during their divisional-round loss to the Commanders. Glenn’s defense allowed 481 yards and 31 points in the first half.
Now that Glenn has been hired, the Jets will have many decisions to make about the roster. One of them is Rodgers’s future. He has zero guaranteed money remaining on his contract and is still considering retirement.
After returning from an Achilles tear, Rodgers started all 17 games and passed for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Jets must determine if they want to pick up Rodgers’ $35 million option bonus and a $2.5 million base salary in 2025. In 2023, Rodgers took a $34 million pay cut to help the team attract free agents to try and help win a championship.
After two disappointing seasons, Glenn and whoever becomes the Jets’ new general manager could decide to start fresh at quarterback. Gang Green is projected to have $20.8 million of salary cap space this offseason. In addition to Rodgers, decisions will need to be made about Davante Adams and Allen Lazard and whether the team will exercise fifth-year options on Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson.
The Jets interview process was extensive after meeting with 16 candidates for their coaching position. Jets owner Woody Johnson hired The 33rd Team, led by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and former Vikings and Dolphins GM Rick Spelman, to coordinate both the coaching and general manager search.
The Jets interviewed Ron Rivera, Mike Vrabel, Rex Ryan, Matt Nagy, Glenn, Mike Locksley, Steve Spagnuolo, Darren Rizzi, Jeff Ulbrich, Vance Joseph, Arthur Smith, Bobby Slowik, Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Josh McCown and Joe Whitt Jr. for the coaching position.
In addition to Newmark, the Jets have so far interviewed Thomas Dimitroff, Jon Robinson, Jim Nagy, Louis Reddick, Alec Halaby, Mike Borgonzi, Ray Farmer, Mike Greenberg, Ryan Grigson, Chris Spelman, Trey Brown, Darren Mougey, Jon-Eric Sullivan and Brian Gaine for the general manager position.