Aaron Glenn is back in Gotham Green.
The New York Jets are hiring Glenn as the club's 21st full-time head coach, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday, per sources informed of the situation.
Following the Detroit Lions' playoff exit, the Jets were Glenn's first in-person interview after meeting with multiple teams virtually during the hiring process. The former defensive coordinator also planned to meet with the New Orleans Saints regarding their open coaching position.
It's a return to where it all started for the 52-year-old Glenn, a Gang Green first-round pick in 1994 out of Texas A&M. The cornerback spent eight seasons playing for the Jets, earning two Pro Bowl bids, before getting swiped by the Houston Texans in the 2002 expansion draft at age 30. Following a 15-year NFL playing career, Glenn was away from football before the itch returned.
In 2012, he worked for the Houston Stallions, an indoor Texas football league, before joining the Jets as a personnel scout.
In 2014, Glenn moved into coaching, working as an assistant DBs coach for the Cleveland Browns. After two years, he was hired by the New Orleans Saints as their secondary coach under Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. In 2021, he moved to Detroit to become Dan Campbell's defensive coordinator.
Devoid of talent early on in his tenure, Glenn's early defenses struggled, particularly against the pass. The Lions improved as Detroit gave Glenn pieces that fit the physical man-defense style he desired to run. The Lions allowed the second-lowest completion percentage (61.1) and the lowest passer rating (82.0) in 2024.
Injuries gutted the Lions' defense this season, seeing 16 players on that side of the ball hit injured reserve, including Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and Carlton Davis -- Detroit's top edge rusher, top defensive tackle and top corner. The high of slowing Justin Jefferson and Minnesota in Week 18 was juxtaposed with the Divisional Round disappointment when Glenn's defense couldn't get off the field against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Glenn leaves Detroit as one of the key voices of the Lions' turnaround from perennial doormat to league darling. Glenn was voted as the top defensive coordinator in an NFLPA survey following the 2023 season -- given that his defense at the time was middling on the stat sheet, the honor spoke to his leadership qualities. Lions players have glowed about Glenn's quality, often noting that he's more than an X's and O's coach, he's a born leader.
With the Jets amid another rebuild, Gang Green needed a steady, commanding pilot. They'll get that in Glenn.
New York entered the 2024 season hoping to dash a 13-year streak of playoff futility. Instead, that number hit 14 as the Jets broke apart. Robert Saleh was fired after five games, not given a chance to run around the careening operation. Jeff Ulbrich took over, and things continued to spiral. Eventually, owner Woody Johnson also fired general manager Joe Douglas, signaling a complete reboot in New York.
To that chaotic affair, Glenn enters with designs on turning things around, as he helped do in Detroit.
The first big question for the first-time head coach is who he hopes to hire on offense. Glenn marks the second consecutive defensive-minded head coach. Four of the Jets' previous five hires have been on the defensive side of the ball (Adam Gase being the exception). Who Glenn brings in as his offensive coordinator will provide a clue on the future of Aaron Rodgers and how the Jets might attack trying to finally find the franchise quarterback that has eluded New York for decades.
How the offense and QB situation play out are questions for another sunrise. Today, the Jets got their lead man.
