Tag: Aaron Glenn

Saints’ Michael Hodges is a key figure in Patriots DC search

The Patriots interviewed Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges for their DC opening. Even if he doesn’t get the job, they might have a role for him:

The New Orleans Saints could lose yet another assistant to a promotion elsewhere around the league. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reports that linebackers coach Michael Hodges has interviewed for the New England Patriots defensive coordinator opening, along with several other candidates. Head coach Jerod Mayo will likely still call plays defensively, just like Dennis Allen has done, but there’s plenty of room for additions to his staff.

And Hodges is a key figure in the search. An internal option for the job, Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, is expected to interview soon — but he’s worked with Hodges before. Here’s what Reiss had to say about the connection:

Some close to the situation say Covington, who attended Mayo’s introduction as coach Wednesday, is well-positioned to elevate to a defensive coordinator role. The interview with Hodges, who was co-defensive coordinator with Covington at Eastern Illinois in 2016, could be a tipoff that it might be headed in that direction.

That suggests there could be room for Hodges in New England even if he doesn’t get the job, possibly working with Covington again as co-defensive coordinators. That strategy didn’t work for the Saints in 2022 with Ryan Nielsen and Kris Richard sharing the title, but it’s worked for other teams, and maybe that’s a situation Mayo could navigate more effectively than Allen did. Hodges and Covington doing well together in the past lends credence to the idea.

If Hodges believes this gives him a better path to advancement and calling his own plays than his current role in New Orleans, he owes it to himself to explore it. Former coworkers like Nielsen and Aaron Glenn have found success after leaving the Saints and getting out of Allen’s shadow. We’ll see if anything comes of this interest.

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Baker Mayfield must calm his rogue tendencies to have a chance against the Lions

If Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers are going to beat the Lions, Mayfield will have to stay within himself as he didn’t in Week 6.

Baker Mayfield is on his fourth NFL team since 2021, which is an odd place for a former No. 1 overall NFL pick to find himself just seven seasons into his NFL career. One reason Mayfield has traveled an arduous road from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers to the Los Angeles Rams to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the randomness of his play that can show up too often at the worst possible time. As great as Mayfield can be in the right situation with a coaching staff who can control his rogue tendencies, he’s a finely-tuned machine with a couple of oddly-placed springs, and you just have to live with it.

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales has done an outstanding job with that this season, which is a primary reason that the Bucs are in Detroit to play the Lions in the NFC divisional round. Canales has a lot

In that 20-6 Detroit win, Mayfield completed 19 of 37 passes for 206 yards, no touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 56.8. It was probably his worst game of the season. Mayfield was frequently speeding up in the pocket whether he was hurried or not. He didn’t throw with good base fundamentals, and he threw off-platform more than he needed to, which led to a lot of incompletions against tight coverage. More worrisome were the incompletions in which his receivers had scalded Detroit’s defense. 

Mayfield had a wide-open shot to Trey Palmer with 2:00 left in the first half that he overthrew by a couple yards and would have been a touchdown if he’d stayed within himself. This was a deep over from the slot against Cover-4, and Palmer beat safety Kerby Joseph over the top. 

Mayfield did have defensive tackle Benito Jones pressuring him right when he threw the ball, but that’s a throw you need to make. Mayfield was pressured on 13 of his 41 dropbacks in that game, and he completed two of 10 passes for 17 yards and a sack.

This deep incompleton to receiver Chris Godwin on third-and-10 with 1:04 left in the game was one such negative example. The Lions ran a zone exchange out of Cover-4, and Mayfield was in shotgun with a 2×2 formation. The backside flat/post combination was a great design against this coverage, and Joseph was beaten again. With edge defender Julian Okwara dropping into coverage, Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn sent linebacker Derek Barnes and cornerback Will Harris on an overload pressure to the other side. Harris got through, and Mayfield threw a worm-burner to his target.

For the season, Mayfield has completed 81 of 165 passes for 1,035 yards, seven touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 78.2. So, it’s not as if he’s a complete disaster under pressure – this game was an oddity, but it presented most of the things about Mayfield that tend to give you pause. 

It’s now time for Mayfield to silence the doubters.

“When there are plays to be had, we have to take advantage of them,” Mayfield said this week. “It’s staying consistent – they play extremely hard. It just jumps out on film, obviously [with] the way [Lions head coach] Dan Campbell runs that team – everybody swarming to the ball, playing for each other, playing extremely hard with a lot of effort at all times. They’re a tough opponent and they make it hard on you.”

Mayfield will obviously have a better chance to advance to the NFC Championship round if he can avoid making it hard on himself.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys investigate the things that those around Mayfield have done to rein things in when necessary.

You can watch this week’s episode of “The Xs and Os,” featuring all the most important matchups of the divisional round, right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to “The Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Titans completed 2 more head coach interviews on Friday

The Titans completed two more head coach interviews on Friday.

The Tennessee Titans continued going through their list of head coach interviews on Friday, with the team completing two.

The team announced it has completed interviews with both Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

It was previously reported by ESPN’s Dan Graziano that Glenn is considered “a strong candidate” for Tennessee’s vacancy. Graziano also predicted that Glenn would get the job.

With those two interviews in the books, the Titans now have two candidates they have yet to speak to: former Stanford head coach David Shaw and Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

While there has yet to be an interview scheduled with Johnson, we do know Shawn is reportedly expected to get his this weekend.

The list of completed interviews are as follows:

  1. Raiders HC Antonio Pierce
  2. Bengals OC Brian Callahan
  3. Ravens DC Mike Macdonald
  4. Texans OC Bobby Slowik
  5. Giants OC Mike Kafka
  6. Cowboys DC Dan Quinn
  7. Panthers OC Thomas Brown
  8. Eagles OC Brian Johnson
  9. Lions DC Aaron Glenn

Pierce’s name has since been taken out of the running after he was hired for the Raiders’ full-time position. Callahan is the only candidate who has been asked for a second interview thus far.

Stay up to date with all the latest on Tennessee’s search with our head coach tracker.

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Falcons complete virtual interview with Lions DC Aaron Glenn

The Atlanta Falcons completed a virtual interview with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on Friday, the team announced

The Atlanta Falcons have now completed nine interviews for their head coach vacancy. On Friday, they completed a virtual interview with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, the team announced.

Glenn was the defensive backs coach in New Orleans for five seasons before joining Dan Campbell’s staff in Detroit in 2021 as the defensive coordinator.

Before starting his coaching career, Glenn was an NFL defensive back for 15 seasons. He was originally drafted in the first round by the New York Jets in 1994. Glenn helped turn the Lions defense around over the last three seasons and he’s considered one of the NFL’s brightest coordinators.

The Falcons are also in the process of an in-person interview with former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Stay up to date with each interview and interview request using our head coach tracker!

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Raiders hire Antonio Pierce as head coach

Pierce, a former Raiders LB, led the team to a 5-4 record after taking over following their Week 8 loss to the Lions

The Las Vegas Raiders were one of the teams that presented a threat to hire away one of the Detroit Lions coordinators this offseason. That threat is now over.

On Friday, the Raiders hired interim head coach Antonio Pierce to the full-time job. It’s a move that had been championed by the Raiders players, who finished 5-4 under Pierce after starting 3-5 with Josh McDaniels in charge. The Raiders fired McDaniels after a Week 8 loss to the Lions on Monday Night Football.

Pierce is a former NFL linebacker who meshed well and quickly earned respect in the locker room. In that regard, he’s a lot like Lions head coach Dan Campbell and Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, both of whom are still competing in the postseason.

The Raiders had never formally requested permission to speak with either Lions coordinator, Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn. They are conducting remote interviews during the scant free time this weekend before the Lions face the Buccaneers.

Patriots to interview Saints LB coach Michael Hodges for DC opening

Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges will interview for the Patriots’ open defensive coordinator spot under head coach Jered Mayo, per NFL Network:

This could be a big loss: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the New England Patriots have scheduled an interview with Michael Hodges, the New Orleans Saints linebackers coach, while seeking to hire a defensive coordinator on head coach Jerod Mayo’s staff.

Hodges has been an important part of Dennis Allen’s staff in recent years. He’s been responsible for scouting and developing draft picks like D’Marco Jackson (2022), Pete Werner (2021), Zack Baun (2020), and Kaden Elliss (2019) as well as undrafted linebackers like Nephi Sewell and Andrew Dowell. He’s also played a big part in helping Demario Davis perform at a high level late in his career.

So it’s easy to see why other teams are coveting him. We’ll see if Hodges ultimately leaves New Orleans, but the Saints have a history of cultivating talented coaches on the defensive side of the ball — former Dennis Allen assistants Aaron Glenn and Ryan Nielsen have both moved on to run their own defenses as coordinators, and Glenn has drawn a number of head coach interviews around the league. Hodges might be the next man up.

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Falcons to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn

Falcons to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday morning

The Atlanta Falcons are set to interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for their head coach vacancy, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported on Friday morning.

Glenn, a former NFL defensive back, was hired as Detroit’s defensive coordinator in 2021 after spending five years in New Orleans as the defensive backs coach for the Saints.

The 51-year-old was recently selected as the league’s best coordinator in an NFLPA poll. Glenn would be the ninth person to interview for the Falcons’ coaching vacancy. The team also interviewed Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson on Thursday.

Atlanta is expected to host former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for a second interview this weekend. While it was initially reported that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was requested for an interview, there doesn’t appear to be one scheduled as of yet.

Stay up to date with every Falcons interview and interview request using our head coach tracker!

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Titans to interview Aaron Glenn for head coach job

The Titans are reportedly set to interview Lions DC Aaron Glenn for their head coaching vacancy.

After requesting to interview him over a week ago, the Tennessee Titans are finally set to meet with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the two are set to talk about the Titans’ head coaching vacancy, although an exact date was not given.

Glenn isn’t the only Lions coordinator the Titans are reportedly interested in, as the team has also requested to interview offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. That interview has not happened yet.

While Titans fans aren’t exactly high on the idea of hiring another defensive-minded head coach, ESPN’s Dan Graziano previously reported that Glenn was considered “a strong candidate” for Tennessee’s job.

In fact, Graziano even went as far as to predict that he would land the gig.

Make sure to keep up to date with all of the latest news on the Titans’ head coach search by following along with our head coach interview tracker, which is updated regularly.

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Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson are ready for their head coaching interviews

Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson are ready for their head coaching interviews, which will begin after Friday’s Lions practice

Having a second playoff game to prepare for is a welcomed new phenomenon for the Detroit Lions. So too is having coordinators in demand for head coaching jobs elsewhere.

Welcome to 2024, and welcome to the very busy time for Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. The duo has been requested to interview for head coaching positions by at least 10 teams combined.

Those interviews, at least some of them, will get crammed into the Lions busy game prep schedule on Friday and Saturday this week. Johnson has known interviews with the Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers on Friday after Detroit’s practice.

Johnson made it clear that his focus is on preparing the Lions to beat the Buccaneers on Sunday.

“I’ve left that to other people,” Johnson said. I know it’s still a very fluid situation and truth be told, we’ll find out more once the gameplan’s done. That’s been told to everybody I’ve been around. Nothing’s more important than the gameplan.”

It’s a good reminder of why coaches have agents. Given Johnson’s time crunch with game-planning and the interviews, he’s already cutting deeply into his family time. Johnson, 37, has a young family and is losing time with them to go through the interviewing process.

“Well, the truth is, it gets taken away from somewhere and so it gets taken away from my family a little bit,” Johnson said. “And so, it’s not the easy thing to say, but normally Fridays, get home, I can pick my daughter up from school and we’re wrestling downstairs and doing whatnot, and we’ll have to skip that this week.”

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Glenn has received four known interview requests, including with the Seahawks, Titans and Commanders. He is also expected to conduct some remote interviews on Friday and Saturday, though Glenn himself didn’t confirm any that were scheduled.

How is the longtime NFL player and coach prepping while also getting his Lions defense ready for a playoff game?

“I prepare by being myself,” Glenn said on Thursday. “Listen, I’ve been playing this game for a long time, I’ve been coaching it for a while. So, the questions that they ask, there’s a good chance I’ve got them already in my head. So, like I said, I look forward to them, nothing’s confirmed yet, but when they do happen, I’m sure you guys will know.”

Aaron Glenn strongly defends Kerby Joseph against ‘dirty player’ accusations

“Kerby plays football, and we’re going to continue to play football. And we don’t care what anybody else has to say.”

During the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s playoff win over the Los Angeles Rams, Lions safety Kerby Joseph made a play against Rams tight end Tyler Higbee that resulted in Higbee tearing up his knee. Joseph dove at Higbee’s legs as the tight end tried to haul in a high throw over the middle from Rams QB Matthew Stafford.

After the play, Stafford got after Joseph. He told the young safety, whom he never played with in Detroit, that it was a dirty hit. Here’s what Stafford said to Joseph, via Rams Wire,

“Hey! Hey! That’s a good hit. That’s a good hit,” Stafford said. “You’re dirty as (expletive), though. And you know it. You’re dirty as (expletive). It’s been on tape. I’ve seen it. It’s been on tape. You’re right. You’re right.”

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn wanted nothing to do with any assertions that Joseph’s hit was done with intent to injure.

“Absolutely not. This is football. This is football,” Glenn said agitatedly when asked if he thought the hit was dirty and if he needed to talk to Joseph about his style of play. “And I understand exactly what the NFL is doing when it comes to trying to – a player’s safety, and I totally agree with it. And the thing that he did against the Minnesota Vikings, he hit a guy high, and he got fined for it. So then he hits a guy low, and people are saying he’s a dirty player. Kerby plays football, and we’re going to continue to play football. And we don’t care what anybody else has to say.”

Glenn was just getting started.

“Listen, no one wants anybody to get hurt in this league. No one wants that. Hell, I was hurt in this League before, so I understand; I know how it feels. But I also understand I play football and when you play football, things like that happen. So, guys have got to continue to play no matter what. And it kind of bothers me that you hear that from people across the league because you know the risk you’re taking when you play this game and that’s just what it is.”

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