The New York Jets are hiring Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as their next head coach, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Glenn now reunites with the franchise that selected him 12th overall in the 1994 NFL draft and for which he played the first eight seasons of his NFL career. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection at cornerback (twice with the Jets) in 15 seasons.
Glenn, 52, was available to be hired after the Lions — the NFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs — were stunned on Saturday night by the Washington Commanders. He had been the Lions’ defensive coordinator for the past four seasons. This season, the Lions finished seventh in points allowed en route to a 15-2 record in the regular season.
Glenn will fill the job vacated by Robert Saleh when he was fired on Oct. 8. He takes over a team that was a major disappointment this season, finishing 5-12 despite being quarterbacked by four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers’ future with the Jets is in question and will be decided by Glenn and whoever the Jets hire as their new general manager.
Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark, who worked with Glenn in Detroit, is interviewing for a second time with the Jets on Tuesday.
Glenn is the second Lions coordinator to leave the team for a head coaching opportunity this week. The Chicago Bears on Tuesday named Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson their new head coach.
