The search for the next Head Coach of The New York Jets has heated up as we are weeks into the postseason, and for the Jets weeks into the offseason. After well over ten interviews with different candidates, the field is getting narrowed down.
With fan favorite Mike Vrabel who would have been a great hire gone off to New England, New York has had to look elsewhere. The Jets have done a deep wide league search with one name standing out on why he is the right hire.
No, Rex Ryan is not the one as it was always just a pipe dream for Ryan that he would be able come back to the Jets. As much as it could have been a feel-good story for some, the reality is Ryan has been out of the league for quite some time. He also was not sure on who his staff would be, and that is a red flag that would make you look elsewhere.
Aaron Glenn
The most likely hire of them all, who as of right now is the only candidate to get a second interview with the Jets is the right guy for the job. Glenn has been the Lions Defensive Coordinator since 2021. He has been a coach in the NFL since 2014. Most notably, Glenn is a former Jets player, spending eight seasons with the organization. He also was a personal scout for the team in 2012-2013.
The Lions defensive rankings since 2021 would make it seem that Glenn hasn’t done the best of jobs as they’ve finished 22nd, 32nd, 19th, and 20th in defensive rankings in his four years as the Defensive Coordinator.
First, when Glenn came to Detroit it was a bad roster with a lot of problems to fix. Despite the overall rankings, Glenn had the Detroit defenses playing hard-nosed football, and at times would step up to deliver big wins for the Lions who have gone 27-7 in the last two seasons. In large part thanks to what Glenn has achieved for the Lions defense.
Glenn is a big part in the change of the Lions culture. He has been seen as someone that can be a great leader, and a positive culture changer. Something the Jets desperately need from their next Head Coach.
Fans get too strung up on the offensive or defensive-minded Head Coach debate. Most Head Coaches do not call the plays on either side of the ball. That is why when hiring a new Head Coach, it’s just as important to have the right staff in place.
Yes, Glenn is going to be a first-time head coach who was a Defensive Coordinator just like Robert Saleh. That does not mean he will have the same problems as Coach Saleh. Saleh’s issues were more than just not being able to figure out the offensive side of the ball. His teams were undisciplined and sloppy.
Yes, Glenn will have to make sure he has the right offensive minds in place to not have the same mistakes as Saleh. That goes for any new Head Coach though and is the same for both sides of the ball. Culture, and Discipline though has nothing to do with what side of the ball you coach. From what we have seen in Detroit, Glenn could be the right guy for the job considering the Jets lack of success is similar to what the Lions once were.
Plus, no Offensive Coordinators have stood out in this hiring cycle. The best option by far, Ben Johnson, who was Lions Offensive Coordinator didn’t even want to interview with the Jets. Josh McCown was another notable name that the Jets have interviewed and would have been a flyer. Yes it could be a fun hire, but McCown has never had an Offensive Coordinator job.
Brian Flores was the other major name. He was the Defensive Coordinator of the Vikings who had an impressive year, but we’ve seen Flores as a Head Coach already. It wasn’t pretty and it didn’t end well. Yes, Flores could have learned from his previous situation, but you also could already know what you are getting.
Glenn is a first time hire with exciting possibilities of what he could bring to the team. He’s played for the Franchise, he has scouted for the Franchise, and it feels like this is where he wants to be. He wants to be the Head Coach of The New York Jets. New York was the first team he agreed to an in-person interview with. All reports show that this is the job he wants.
Plus, He could be paired with potentially the new General Manager Lance Newmark who is currently the Assistant General Manager of the Washington Commanders. Newman has been in the NFL for 28 years, 25 of them with the Lions where he spent three seasons with Glenn. That seems like the pairing the Jets want to make.
Glenn stands out the most for this job, he feels like the right hire. He’s been a coach for over a decade, he was a former player and scout for the Jets. Most importantly New York seems to be where he wants to be. Coach Aaron Glenn is the right guy for the New York Jets.
Glenn had his second interview in person on Tuesday and he has an interview lined up with the Saints for later in the week that can be cancelled though. If the Jets are smart and this is the guy they know they want. they will not let him leave the building, and they will make him the new Head Coach of the New York Jets.
