The Detroit Lions have one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL. Head coach Dan Campbell has transformed the culture in the Motor City, and two great coordinators support him. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been one of the hottest head coaching candidates over the past three seasons. He is expected to get plenty of attention this offseason as well. However, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is just as good. He has taken a defense that has dealt with injury after injury and transformed it into a solid unit. According to a recent report, Glenn has been linked to the New Orleans Saints.
Detroit Lions Aaron Glenn To The Saints?
Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network have been keeping a close eye on the head coaching candidates as the season winds down. The New York Jets and the Saints are teams that have already fired their head coach and will be in the market for a new one. There are a handful of teams who could be looking for a new leader in the locker room. While the Saints will look at all the top candidates, Aaron Glenn is one that comes up often.
“The feeling in league circles is that general manager Mickey Loomis will lean towards someone he knows, with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn — who narrowly lost out to Allen last time around — a frequent name mentioned.”
“Interim coach Darren Rizzi is beloved in the building and expected to be a candidate, especially with the way a locker room decimated by injuries has continued to fight for him. Mike McCarthy and Bills OC Joe Brady have Saints roots, too. But the team is looking into all the top candidates.”
The report recognizes that the Saints will do their due diligence, but it isn’t hard to see why they would prefer the Detroit Lions coordinator. The former player was the defensive backs coach in New Orleans from 2016 to 2020. Despite losing a slew of players to injury, the Lions are still seventh in scoring defense. It definitely helps to have a high-powered offense on the other side of the ball, but Glenn has been able to maximize the talent on the field.
Will Detroit Lose Both Coordinators?
We’ve seen this happen before in the NFL. Most recently, the Philadelphia Eagles lost both Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts) and Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals) after winning the NFC in 2023. Both sides of the ball suffered the next season. Part of the reason the Detroit Lions have been able to sustain success is the continuity in the coaching staff. The coaches know their players and know how to work with each other. If the Lions have to replace both coordinators, they could struggle next year.
It isn’t a guarantee by any means. Johnson interviewed with many teams last season but reportedly turned down the Washington Commanders job. He wants the right opportunity. Aaron Glenn could decide the same thing. New Orleans is far from a perfect situation. Their salary cap is a nightmare, and things will probably get worse before they get better. Any candidate could look at that position and decide to pass.
Final Thoughts
What happens to the Detroit Lions coaching staff might depend on how the season ends. If they win the Super Bowl, it might make it easier to leave for another position. This staff seems very invested in bringing a championship to Detroit, a franchise that has seen a lot of losing. If they come up short again this year, Glenn and Johnson may decide to come back and finish the job. As always, the NFL coach hiring cycle will be full of intrigue.
