DETROIT – Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is leaving to become the head coach of the New York Jets, according to reports.
Glenn, 52, has been Detroit’s defensive coordinator for the past four seasons. The defense was a disaster when he took over, but it has gradually improved as the Lions drafted and developed talent.
This season was Glenn’s most impressive coaching job, as he kept the Lions afloat despite a rash of defensive injuries.
At the beginning of the season, the defense looked like a real problem, with Aidan Hutchinson a leader for Defensive Player of the Year and a deep secondary.
But injuries chipped away at the entire unit. By the time the playoffs began, Marcus Davenport, Alim McNeill, and Hutchinson were sidelined from the starting defensive line. Carlton Davis, Emmanuel Moseley, and Ennis Rakestraw were gone from the secondary. Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes were out at linebacker.
Amik Robertson, Brian Branch, Alex Anzalone, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and others also missed time.
All those injuries eventually caught up to the Lions, especially in the divisional round against the Washington Commanders. But Glenn helped keep it together long enough for the Lions to go 15-2 and earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Over the past two seasons, Glenn and the Lions won back-to-back NFC North titles for the first time and went a combined 27-7 in the regular season.
Dan Campbell said Monday that he expected to lose both of his coordinators to head coaching jobs, and that’s exactly what happened. The Lions already lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears.
Now the search is on to replace both.
The cupboard isn’t bare for whoever takes over. Hutchinson, McNeill, D.J. Reader, and Za’Darius Smith will be back on the defensive line, with Anzalone and Jack Campbell at linebacker and Robertson, Branch, Kerby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold in the secondary.
