Lions Coordinator ‘Still the Frontrunner’ for Jets Job, New Report Says

On By Littum

Have the New York Jets established a front-runner among the candidates to be their next head coach?

Bleacher Report’s NFL Insider James Palmer indicated this week that — among the several men the Jets have interviewed — a Detroit Lions defensive coordinator has emerged as the favorite to land the job.

“It looks like Aaron Glenn is still the front-runner,” Palmer said.

“What Aaron Glenn has done on both the personnel side and the coaching side … I think with the cultural changes that have to change (in New York) that are associated with him with … (having been) around somebody who builds a culture like Sean Payton (or) Dan Campbell … (it’s) important when you evaluate everything that needs to change with the Jets.”

Glenn, 52, worked under Payton as a defensive backs coach in the New Orleans Saints organization between 2016 and 2020. Since 2021, Glenn has served as Detroit’s defensive coordinator under Campbell.

Prior to New Orleans, Glenn worked as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns between 2014 and 2015, his first experience as an NFL coach.

Glenn’s connection to the Jets organization is strong. Selected by New York with the 12th overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft, he played his first eight NFL seasons with the Jets, earning two Pro Bowl selections along the way (he is a member of the Jets’ All-Time Four Decade Team) .

Glenn also worked as a staff scout for the Jets between 2012 and 2013.

While some reports have suggested that the Jets job is Glenn’s top choice, that hasn’t stopped him from interviewing the Saints, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars for their head coaching vacancies.

Notably, Glenn turned down an interview with the New England Patriots and later cleared the air about why, saying, “It just wasn’t the best situation for me.”

For now, Glenn has the Washington Commanders on his mind. Glenn’s Lions host the Commanders in a divisional matchup on Saturday night.

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