The Chicago Bears have paid close enough attention to what the Detroit Lions have done in recent seasons that they are trying to pry one of their coordinators away, and they are not excluding either Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn.
Both coaches are in high demand and interviewing with the Bears on Saturday, with Johnson getting the a.m. slot and Glenn taking the p.m.
Bears HC Candidate Aaron Glenn Worth Doubling Up With Division Rival
Record: 39-28-1 (as DC)
Playoff Record: 2-1
Bears HC Target Aaron Glenn Got Most Out of Lions in 2024
Glenn’s appeal goes beyond the Xs and Os – it simply has to. This season has been a tremendous showing of his abilities with the Lions dealing with an incomprehensible number of injuries on defense, including top pass rusher and former No. 2 pick (2022) Aidan Hutchinson.
The Lions ranked 20th in yards allowed but still finished with the No. 7 scoring defense, making do in light of their personnel losses.
They had the 12th-most sacks but were fourth in pressure rate, per Pro Football Reference.
Opponents averaged the fourth-most passing yards against them despite their strong pass rush. This is despite having a Pro Bowler (Brian Branch) and an All-Pro (Kerby Joseph) at safety and a former first-round pick at cornerback (Terrion Arnold).
Like Johnson, Glenn would need the horses in Chicago to pull off what he did this season in Detroit.
However, the Bears or any team must determine if this season was an aberration.
It is important to remember that the Lions ranked no better than 19th in points or yards in the three seasons that preceded this past one. That they did improve year over year, specifically in scoring, is another plus for the former cornerback, though.
Pretty strong words from #Lions head coach Dan Campbell about the presumed favorite to be #Saints next head coach…Detroit DC Aaron Glenn.
LOTS of momentum too for Glenn from former Saints who played with and for him.@Harp41 told us last week…he should be the guy in NOLA! pic.twitter.com/Pt6oU1SQqi
— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) January 7, 2025
Aaron Glenn Has Worked at All Levels in NFL
Glenn and Johnson have both been essential to the Lions’ success this season, but they are very different in terms of their resumes well beyond just which side of the ball they coach.
Glenn had a lengthy career in the NFL – Johnson did not – that delayed his foray into coaching, and he skipped the collegiate process. Glenn’s first opportunity was as assistant defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2014, two years after Johnson’s first NFL job.
Before that, Glenn spent two years in an executive role in the TLSFL and for the New York Jets.
Glenn interviewed with the Jets – who drafted him and where he spent the first eight seasons of his career – on Friday.
He is also among if not the favorite for the New Orleans Saints vacancy. Glenn spent five years there as a DBs coach from 2016 through 2021 and his final season of a 15-year career as a player in 2008.
The Humble, Texas native played for both in-state teams and could be a dark horse in Dallas.
For the Bears, Glenn seems to fit the “leader of men” mold that general manager Ryan Poles has harped on since the search began.
However, if there are questions about how an offensive-minded coach would build around quarterback Caleb Williams, and there should be, then those would be intensified for a defensive coach like Glenn even if that coach could orchestrate a much-needed rebound from the defense.