Patriots reportedly request interview with Lions DC Aaron Glenn (original) (raw)
With one Lions coordinator already slated to interview with the Patriots on Friday, the organization is reportedly looking to talk with another member of their coaching staff in the coming days.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Patriots submitted a request on Wednesday to speak with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Breer, posting his reports to his X account, went on to say that Glenn already has a “pretty full schedule” of interviews, and wondered if Glenn would have time to fit the Patriots in.
With the Lions (15-2) currently sitting as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson were told by their current team that they only have a confined window of Thursday afternoon to Saturday morning to conduct interviews for head coaching vacancies.
So whether or not Glenn is able to speak with the Krafts and their leadership team about their head coaching job remains to be seen, as these meetings with candidates tend to take many hours. If Glenn’s schedule truly is packed, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the 52-year-old wouldn’t have time for another lengthy interview during his tight team-sanctioned window.
There’s a reason why Glenn’s interview schedule is so loaded - the guy did a lot with a little in 2024.
Even with the Lions having 13 (!) members of their defense landing on the IR by the time Week 18 rolled around, they were able to keep their foot on the gas and dominate teams on their way to the second best record in the NFL.
And when you look at their numbers, Detroit ranks first in third down defense, fifth in rushing defense, seventh in scoring defense and seventh in red zone defense. It was bend-but-don’t-break at its best for a unit that has been reeling all season long.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 15: Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is seen as they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on September 15, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo credit Nic Antaya/Getty Images
The cherry on top for Glenn during the regular season was the job his defense did in Week 18, as his unit dominated the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football in a game that’s outcome dictated the top seed in the conference.
Detroit won the game 31-9, and made Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold look like Jets quarterback Sam Darnold. He finished the day 18 for 41 with 166 passing yards and no touchdowns, good for a QBR of 17.4 and a passer rating of 55.5.
And if you take away Vikings running back Cam Akers’ 58-yard run from the third quarter, the Lions held Minnesota to 62 yards rushing on 18 attempts, good for 3.44 yards per carry.
It was a masterclass in gameplanning against one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, and it’s a model that will surely be mimicked by Vikings’ opponents throughout the postseason.
Glenn would help bolster a Patriots defense that regressed immensely under now-fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and first-year defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, who led New England to the following defensive rankings in 2024:
- 22nd in overall defense
- 22nd in scoring defense
- 23rd in rushing defense
- 25th in red zone defense
- 26th in third down defense
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 15: Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn of the Detroit Lions looks on during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field on December 15, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo credit Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
If Glenn were to be hired by New England, he’d be given the option of retaining Covington as his defensive coordinator, as Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a press conference on Monday that all of Mayo’s coaches would remain under contract until their new head coach decides their fate.
But with Covington already interviewing for other defensive coordinator openings around the league, you’d have to imagine Glenn would be looking to start fresh on that side of the ball.
Glenn had a lengthy playing career as a cornerback, playing for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints from 1994 to 2008. After taking a few years off after retiring as a player, Glenn began to build his post-playing resume:
2012 - Houston Stallions General Manager (LSFL)
2012-13 - New York Jets Personnel Scout
2014-15 - Cleveland Browns Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
2016-20 - New Orleans Saints Defensive Backs Coach
2021-present - Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator
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Featured Image Photo Credit: Nic Antaya/Getty Images