On Saturday, the Chargers confirmed that they had interviewed Aaron Glenn for the post of head coach.
Glenn is in his third season as Detroit’s defensive coordinator and was a key part of the Lions’ playoff success this year.
He has supervised the Lions’ comeback since 2021 and has played a significant role in the development of players like as Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph, among others.
Under Glenn, Detroit’s rookies combined for 20.5 sacks in 2022, setting a new NFL mark for the most combined sacks by a rookie corps.
Hutchinson led all rookies with 9.5 and has continued to play well in 2023, while Joseph became the NFL’s first rookie safety to record four interceptions and two forced fumbles in a single season since 2007.
Before joining Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell in Detroit, the two worked together in New Orleans.
Glenn was the Saints’ defensive backs coach for five seasons, from 2016 to 2022, and helped develop players including Marshon Lattimore, Marcus Williams, Vonn Bell, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
During his latter seasons as secondary coach, the team was one of the league’s most aggressive ballhawking groups. In 2019, the Saints had 13 interceptions (nine from the secondary) and were tied for top in the NFL with 18 interceptions in 2020.
Glenn began his coaching career in Cleveland in 2014 as the Browns’ assistant secondary coach. This happened after two seasons of working for the Jets as a college area scout and pro personnel scout.
His NFL expertise extends beyond the ten years he spent on the sidelines.
Glenn was the Jets’ first-round pick (No. 12 overall) in the 1994 NFL Draft as a defensive back, and he went on to play 15 seasons in the league.
After eight seasons in New York, he moved on to play for the Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints before retiring in 2010.
He started 176 of his 205 career games and was a three-time Pro Bowl pick.
His final numbers included 661 tackles, 41 interceptions, 167 pass defenses, and eight career touchdowns.
