The NFL coaching carousel opened this week with multiple teams seeking permission to interview the Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn . As the Lions concluded their historic 15-2 regular season on Sunday night, Johnson and Glenn are two of the most sought-after coaching candidates.
NFL Coaching Vacancies Target Lions’ Johnson and Glenn
Lions coach Dan Campbell said both men are ideally suited to head coaching jobs. They’re great motivators and communicators who know how to prepare their players. In addition, Glenn and Johnson are strategic thinkers who find creative solutions. Despite the injuries that decimated Glenn’s defense this season, he was always prepared with a plan for the next man up.
Why Glenn Is In High Demand
No team has been hit harder by the injury bug this season than the Lions. Unfortunately, most of the injuries impacted the team’s defensive stars; Aidan Hutchinson , Alex Anzalone, Alim McNeil, and Carlton Davis. The list goes on and on. But throughout it all, Glenn persevered, finding ways to address the weekly coverage gaps. As injuries continued to mount, he moved his remaining players around like chess pieces, relying on them to learn new assignments.
In the meantime, Lions General Manager Brad Holmes did a masterful job poaching replacement players from NFL practice squads. Glenn gave them a crash course on the Lions’ defense strategy and put them in the lineup. Although there were coverage gaps and on occasion, the defense bent too far, it didn’t break.
The offense continued to produce score after score. The defense held and the Lions went on to win game after game. Glenn’s finest moment came in week 18 when his defense smothered the Minnesota Vikings’ high-powered offense before a TV audience of 28.5 million people.
As a former NFL football player, Glenn understands what it takes to play at this elite level. He knows firsthand the physical and mental toll this league can take on an athlete. However, he also has a keen sense of how to encourage and develop young talented players to maximize their skills.
Why Johnson Is In High Demand
Throughout the season, there was heavy speculation that Johnson would be the number one target of head coaching inquiries. The Lions offensive coordinator brilliantly scripted game plans that led to the NFL’s most prolific scoring production this year. Detroit outscored every other team in the NFL with five games over 40 points, and a season total of 564 points averaging 33.3 PPG. Johnson is credited with developing the visionary playbook and schemes that magnify the wealth of offensive talent on the Lions’ roster.
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Johnson graduated from the University of North Carolina where he played quarterback. His first job was as a tight ends coach for Boston College. In 2012, that position led him to the Miami Dolphins as the offensive assistant coach. After five years with the Dolphins, he accepted a position in 2018 with the Detroit Lions as the offensive quality control coach. Accordingly, when Campbell took over as head coach three years later, Johnson was the only staff member he retained from the Matt Patricia era. Recognizing his potential, however, Campbell soon promoted him to offensive coordinator.
Throughout his tenure with the Lions, Johnson’s talent for identifying a player’s strengths and maximizing his potential has been evident. At 72.4%, Jared Goff has the best completion percentage in the league and is having an MVP season. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs experienced stratospheric production growth under Johnson’s tutelage. Recently, the Lions made the record books as the only team in NFL history to have two wide receivers, and both running backs exceed 1,000 yards in a single season.
Top Opportunities For Glenn
Four NFL teams have reached out seeking permission to interview Glenn; New Orleans, Jacksonville, Chicago, and the New York Jets. The Saints could be a front-runner given Glenn’s previous successful tenure with the organization. Glenn was a position coach for five years in New Orleans during their NFC South Division title reign. He was credited with playing a pivotal role, helping to mold Saint’s defensive stars Marshon Lattimore and Vonn Bell. Glenn is said to have a good relationship with general manager Micky Loomis. However, Loomis wields a heavy hand when it comes to personnel decisions. If Glenn is looking for an opportunity where he can be a decision-maker, this might not be the right fit.
Glenn also has a previous connection with another NFL team, the New York Jets. The team drafted him as a player and he previously worked as a personnel scout for the Jets. But the team is the very definition of a miserable landing spot. Owner Woody Johnson rules the team with an iron fist and claims to rely on Madden NFL video games for personnel decisions.
Glenn would also inherit a team with an ongoing quarterback controversy. Despite his lackluster performance, the Jets are saddled with absorbing Aaron Rodgers’ hefty salary if he decides not to retire.
Head Coaching Opportunities for Johnson
This week, the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, and Jacksonville Jaguars sought permission to speak with Johnson regarding their head coaching vacancy. Although Johnson was courted by several teams last year, he chose to remain with Detroit. Johnson can afford to be selective. He’s stated he wants an opportunity that provides stability and autonomy. Teams with owners who are overly involved in day-to-day coaching decisions need not apply.
The coaching position with the Patriots offers Johnson an opportunity to mentor talented young quarterback Drake Maye . Johnson would also inherit a $130 million salary cap to build a receiving group and offensive line around him.
The position with the Bears is intriguing and Johnson’s offensive genius would undoubtedly benefit quarterback Caleb Williams’ development. Nonetheless, Johnson would likewise require assurances from owner George McKaskey and team management that he would have the freedom to make personnel decisions and do his job.
Similarly, the Jacksonville coaching opportunity would pair Johnson with a proven young quarterback who has yet to reach his full potential. Like he did with Goff, Johnson could develop Trevor Lawrence into an MVP-caliber talent. However, once again, Trent Baalke’s chaotic management style could become a factor for Johnson or Glenn turning down the position.
Why Staying with the Lions Might Be Preferable for Johnson and Glenn
In their current positions with the Lions, one of the advantages Johnson and Glenn have is an outstanding relationship with Lions management. The unified, cohesive working relationship the Lions coaching staff enjoys with management will be hard to find in other NFL teams.
Holmes and the Lions coaching staff have a great relationship with owner Sheila Ford-Hamp and her trusted advisor, special assistant Chris Spielman . A former Detroit Lions defensive player, Spielman understood the challenges necessitating a complete overhaul of the Lions’ organization. General Manager Brad Holmes and Campbell developed an amazing chemistry working together. They share a common vision and mindset. They agree on the type of player who fits the team culture. Holmes finds the personnel and Campbell takes over once the player is signed.
Johnson is only 38 years old and would be among the youngest head coaches in the NFL. He has the luxury of holding off and declining offers that don’t match his financial demands or meet his criteria. At 52, Glenn has paid his dues and he’s ready to take the next step. However, let’s hope Dan Campbell has been preparing for their departure and has a great succession plan in place for the Lions.
Main Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier – USA Today Sports
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