Tag: Aaron Glenn

Report: Detroit Lions to hire Anthony Lynn as offensive coordinator

ESPN’s Dan Graziano is reporting the Detroit Lions will be hiring former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as offensive coordinator.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano is reporting the Detroit Lions will be hiring former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as their next offensive coordinator.

Multiple reporters have backed up Graziano’s claim, including his colleague at ESPN Adam Schefter, who noted that “Lynn had OC options, but wanted to work with Lions’ HC Dan Campbell and DC Aaron Glenn, who played for the Cowboys at the time Lynn coached in Dallas”.

Like Campbell and Glenn, Lynn is a former NFL player. He played running back for the New York Giants in 1992, Denver Broncos in 1993, San Francisco 49ers in 1995-6, and back to Denver in 1997-9, where he won two Super Bowls with the Broncos in 1997-8.

Lynn retired in 2000 due to a neck injury and took a job with Denver as a special teams assistant. Two years later the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him as their running backs coach. He would coach running backs for the 12 years in the NFL, spending time with the Cleveland Browns, Cowboys — where he met Campbell and Glenn — and New York Jets. In 2013-4, in addition to his running backs coaching duties with the Jets, Lynn was also promoted to assistant head coach.

In 2015 he was hired by the Buffalo Bills as their assistant head coach/running backs coach. In 2016, he started the year in the same role but just two weeks into the season he was promoted to offensive coordinator after Greg Roman was fired. Before the season was over, he would once again be promoted, this time to interim head coach after then-coach Rex Ryan was fired in December.

Following the season, Lynn had head coaching interviews with the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and San Francisco 49ers, but accepted the Chargers job. He held the position for four seasons before being fired earlier this month.

As a coordinator in Buffalo, Lynn’s offense led the league in rushing yards with 2,630 yards and rushing touchdowns with 29 on the season. As a team, they averaged 5.3 yards per carry. LeSean McCoy led the team with 1,267 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, with Mike Gillislee rushing for 577 yards and eight touchdowns as a backup.

“I want to play smart, physical football,” Lynn said of his approach to the Bills offense. “I want to be explosive down the field. Right now, I just want to stay on the damn field. We’re going to play a little bit faster and see if we can put a little pressure on the defense. Just execute.”

That sounds an awful lot like what Campbell said at his press conference last Thursday.

But before you fall into the “he’s too old school” trap, it’s important to look at how he adjusted his offense when he took over the Chargers.

In Lynn’s very first season with the Chargers (2017), they led the league in passing yards. In 2018, they finished tenth, 2019 and 2020 both saw sixth-place finishes, and this past season they accomplished this feat with a rookie quarterback (Justin Herbert) under center.

To recap for clarity: in the last five years, Lynn went from coordinating the best rushing offense in the league one season, to coaching the best passing offense in the league the next. Then, he was able to maintain a top-10 finish each year, despite having a rookie quarterback this past season.

Lynn is capable of adapting his scheme to fit the personnel.

Things will be a little harder for Lynn now that quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Lions have decided to part ways, and if the Lions plan on looking to the draft for his replacement, they’ll need a veteran quarterback to step in.

Last season, when the Chargers were going through an almost identical situation after Philip Rivers left LA, Lynn turned back to his quarterback during his Buffalo days, Tyrod Taylor, to help him stabilize the position.

Campbell will surely turn to Lynn for advice on how to handle the quarterback position and with Taylor once again a potential unrestricted free agent, it’s fair to speculate that the Lions may try an repeat the Chargers’ plan of action by bringing in the veteran and looking to the draft for longevity at the position.

Former Chargers HC Anthony Lynn hired as Lions’ offensive coordinator

Anthony Lynn has a new gig.

The Chargers parted ways with Anthony Lynn earlier this month. Lynn, however, will have a new job starting this upcoming season.

Lynn is set to become the Lions’ new offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.

New Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn played for the Cowboys when Lynn was there as a running backs coach.

Lynn was also a candidate for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator vacancy.

Lynn spent the past four seasons as Los Angeles’ head coach, where he went 33-31. Before his time with the Bolts, Lynn served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator in 2006.

Lynn’s coaching career in the NFL has primarily consisted of coaching running backs.

Reports: Detroit Lions expected to hire Giff Smith as DL coach

The Free Press’ Dave Birkett is reporting that the Detroit Lions are expected to hire Giff Smith as their defensive line coach.

The Free Press’ Dave Birkett is reporting that the Detroit Lions are expected to hire Giff Smith as their defensive line coach.

Smith spent the last five seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive line coach, operating their hybrid front. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Tennessee Titans and three seasons with the Buffalo Bills in the same position.

After the Chargers moved on from their coaching staff this offseason, Smith interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys last week, before joining the Lions.

The 10-years NFL veteran coach has been effective in each of his stops. Under his coaching, DT Kyle Williams (Bills), DT Jurrell Kasey (Titans), DE Joey Bosa (Chargers), and EDGE Melvin Ingram III (Chargers) — who is a potential free agent — have combined for eight Pro Bowls.

Bosa also won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2016 while developing his skillset under Smith.

May 14, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa (99) participates in a drill as defensive line coach Giff Smith (left) looks on at Charger Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Chargers’ Bosa and Ingram have been a formidable duo, registering pressures and sacks on a consistent basis —  although recently injuries have caused their statistical production to dip.

Smith has done a nice job of developing players at multiple positions along the defensive line and his experience in 34, 43, and hybrid defensive schemes give the Lions options for how they want to develop their scheme.

Aaron Glenn: What the Lions are getting in their new defensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn: What the Lions are getting in their new defensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn is now officially hired as the new defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. Days of speculation about the position and of Glenn’s status are finally over.

Glenn comes to the Lions from the New Orleans Saints, where he has been that team’s secondary coach for the last six years. He’s done a great job with a playmaking crew that includes CB Marshon Lattimore, S Vonn Bell and agitator extraordinaire Chauncey Gardner-Johnson at safety. He’s a hands-on coach who isn’t afraid to get on the field and physically demonstrate what he wants his players to do.

He earns that respect from his playing career. Glenn played over 200 games in the NFL as a cornerback and punt returner, starting out as the No. 12 overall pick in the first round of the 1994 draft by the New York Jets. He made three Pro Bowls and notched 41 career interceptions in a career that ended in 2008 with the Saints. Playing outside CB for 15 seasons as a 5-foot-9, 185-pounder speaks to his competitiveness and attention to detail.

Much of that long and successful playing career came under Bill Parcells and direct Parcells coaching disciple, Sean Payton. The time in between those two coaches, Glenn played for the expansion Houston Texans and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio under head coach Dom Capers. Why is all that important?

Those are core 3-4 base defenses. The Lions are coming out of running the Matt Particia version of the same base Parcells defense. Glenn’s experiences in New Orleans have proven he’s evolved into someone who emphasizes playmaking and risk-taking, at least with the secondary. That should be a welcome change from Detroit’s passive, reactive scheme the last few years.

He does have some player scouting background, too. Glenn worked one season (2013) as a college area scout and one (2012) as a pro scout for the Jets. Understanding that process and helping to identify the talent he knows he can work with is something that meshes nicely with the collaborative emphasis that new GM Brad Holmes espouses.

He jumped from the Jets front office to the Cleveland Browns as the DB coach. Perhaps the greatest testament to Glenn’s ability to develop talent and craft a strong unit came from the 2014 season with the Browns. Joe Haden, Tashaun Gipson and Donte Whitner all made the Pro Bowl in the defensive backfield from a team that finished 7-9 and dead last in run defense. All those players fell off after Glenn left, too.

It is a jump from being a position coach to a coordinator, but Glenn has shown enough ability with the Saints secondary that he got to choose between coordinator jobs this offseason. He chose to ride to Detroit from New Orleans with Dan Campbell.

Report: The Detroit Lions have hired Saints DB Aaron Glenn as their DC

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Detroit Lions have hired New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn as their defensive coordinator.

During his introductory press conference, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell joked he was leaving the presser, taking off his jacket and tie, and was going to go hire some coaches. Well, apparently, he wasn’t joking.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the Detroit Lions have hired Aaron Glenn as their next defensive coordinator.

Over the weekend it was reported that Glenn, the former New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach, was the front runner for the Lions’ defensive coordinator position. There was some speculation about him entertaining other offers, and per ESPN’s Josiah Anderson, Glenn was in the running for the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator positions.

He turned them down in favor of the Lions’ job.

Glenn and Campbell have worked together the last five seasons in New Orleans but their relationship dates back further than that. Both are graduates of Texas A&M, though Glenn was a few years ahead of Campbell. Both played together in Dallas in 2006, when Bill Parcells was the coach. And both lean on Parcells as a mentor and stem from his coaching tree.

In New Orleans, the defense ran a 43 base concept and leaned heavily on Cover-1 and 2-Man concepts — the most 2-man in the NFL per ESPN’s Matt Bowen — with some Cover-2, Cover-3, and Quarters zone concepts worked in as well.

These coverage schemes were executed by the players in Glenn’s secondary and could be a strong indicator of the style of defense he could prefer to run in Detroit.

Here’s an example of the Saints’ 2-man coverage scheme:

As a former player, Glenn commands the respect of the players he has coached, and his tenacity to learn keeps him on the cutting edge of defensive innovations.

This is a terrific first hire for Campbell and the Lions.

Dan Campbell, Lions reach agreement on 6-year contract

The Detroit Lions reached an agreement with former New Orleans Saints assistant head coach/tight ends Dan Campbell on a 6-year contract.

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Multiple reports on Wednesday shared news of an agreement in principle between the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell, the former New Orleans Saints assistant head coach and tight ends coach. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added that the proposed contract will run for six years, similar to other first-time head coaching deals around the league.

Still, it’s a big commitment to make to someone who’s such a large unknown. Campbell wasn’t the most prominent position coach in New Orleans, and his previous experience at the top of an organization was his 5-7 run as the Miami Dolphins interim coach back in 2015.

But he’ll have plenty of help. Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn is expected to leave town with Campbell and work as his defensive coordinator in Detroit. Campbell has been in the league for a while both as a coach and a player (he finished his career with the Saints in 2009) and should be able to build his staff in a hurry. We’ll just have to wait and see how this shakes out for the Lions.

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Report: Detroit Lions to sign Saints DB coach Aaron Glenn as next defensive coordinator

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Detroit Lions to sign Saints DB coach Aaron Glenn as their next defensive coordinator.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Detroit Lions will sign New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn as their next defensive coordinator.

Glenn was the 12th overall pick in the 1994 NFL draft by the New York Jets. He would go on to play in the league for 15 years and was recognized with three All-Pro nominations and three Pro Bowl nods.

After retirement, his first step back into the league was as a scout for the New York Jets during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In 2014, he joined the Browns as an assistant defensive backs coach before joining the Saints in 2016 as their defensive backs coach, where he spent the last five seasons.

Glenn and anticipated head coach Dan Campbell coached together for the last five years in New Orleans but their relationship goes back further than that, as they played together for the Dallas Cowboys back in 2006 and both are also alums of Texas A&M.

Bill Parcells was the coach of the Cowboys in 2006, and both Campbell and Glenn’s coaching roots stem from his influence.

Glenn is known as a coach who is constantly trying to learn and grow as a professional. In addition to seeking advice from Parcells, Glenn spends time in the offseason learning from other defensive-minded coaches.

With the Saints, Glenn has led their secondary to become one of the best complete units in the NFL and the Lions will surely be looking for him to add that depth of knowledge towards improving their secondary as well.

Report: Lions are hiring Saints’ Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator

Aaron Glenn is joining Dan Campbell with the Lions as their new defensive coordinator.

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The Saints will need to find a new secondary coach this offseason because Aaron Glenn is on his way out. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, The Detroit Lions are hiring Glenn as their defensive coordinator. He follows Dan Campbell, who is now Detroit’s head coach.

Glenn coached the Saints’ defensive backs for the last five years, arriving in New Orleans in 2016. The Saints were his second NFL team as a coach, previously working with the Browns as their assistant DBs coach.

Glenn was an up-and-coming candidate this offseason, and even interviewed with the Jets for their head-coaching vacancy. The Lions are getting a strong leader to work alongside Campbell, while this leaves a void on Sean Payton’s coaching staff in New Orleans.

Report: Several teams considering Saints assistant Aaron Glenn for DC openings

New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn is a popular candidate for defensive coordinator openings around the NFL, per reports.

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NFL head coaching vacancies are being filled quickly around the league, and it appears New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn won’t get one of those opportunities just yet. Instead, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Glenn is a favored candidate for the open defensive coordinator job in several different spots.

Now, which teams those may be are anyone’s guess. But it makes sense that Glenn could be connected to other Saints alums leaving town, like Dan Campbell — the next Detroit Lions head coach who has worked with tight ends in New Orleans the last few years. Like Campbell, Glenn finished his playing career with the Saints before pivoting to coaching. He and Campbell could team up together again in Detroit given their shared history on Sean Payton’s staff.

Another option could be the Atlanta Falcons, where longtime Saints personnel executive Terry Fontenot is the new general manager. But first-year Falcons coach Arthur Smith may have other candidates in mind. It’s less likely that Glenn could join the New York Jets, who plan to run new head coach Robert Saleh’s scheme, which he isn’t as familiar with. Glenn has been linked to the Jets often (his first non-playing job was in the Jets scouting department), so who knows. We’ll just have to wait and see.

One factor worth noting: the NFL’s new incentive for minority candidate hires only applies to head coach and general managers. If another team hires Glenn, who is Black, as their defensive coordinator then the Saints would not receive any compensatory draft picks, unlike the hiring of Fontenot.

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49ers DC Robert Salah to be Jets head coach, face Saints again in 2021

The New York Jets hired San Francisco 49ers DC Robert Saleh as their new head coach, meaning he’ll face the New Orleans Saints in 2021.

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The New Orleans Saints will have to hit the road to play the New York Jets in 2021, and there will be a new head coach patrolling the opposing sidelines: Robert Saleh, who isn’t too unfamiliar with New Orleans. ESPN reported that Saleh reached an agreement on a five-year deal with the Jets on Thursday evening following a busy round of interviews around the league.

Saleh previously worked as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator since 2017, facing the Saints twice in that time. And his defense was put in a tough spot both times. They allowed 46 points in a last-minute win in 2019 before yielding a more-respectable 27 points in a 2020 loss. His next game with New Orleans will be his third meeting in as many years.

It’ll be interesting to see how his unit performs when the Saints visit next season. He has a solid foundation in players like defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and safety Marcus Maye, but the rebuild could take time. Maybe his past experience coaching against New Orleans can give him an edge.

One other point worth noting: Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn was a candidate for this job, though the Jets ultimately went another way. Glenn hasn’t shown much interest in other openings around the league, so it’s possible he returns to New Orleans in 2021.

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