As part of what was a coaching staff overhaul following the 2024 NFL season, the Detroit Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the divisional rival Chicago Bears, while also losing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets.
Both former Lions coordinators experienced opposite levels of success in their first seasons with their respective new clubs. Johnson and the Bears earned the top spot in the NFC North Division (dethroning the Lions in the process despite dropping both regular season games against them) and a trip to the postseason, while Glenn and the Jets lost 14 of 17 games and finished at the bottom of the AFC East Division.
Heading into the upcoming 2026 NFL season, Glenn could already be feeling the heat to deliver for a franchise that currently holds the record for longest postseason drought among any team in the four major North American sports leagues.
Former Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn Gets Bad News Heading Into 2026 Season
Glenn, who is going into his second campaign as head coach of the Jets, has been listed as one of five candidates who are on the hot seat and in danger of losing their job if things don’t go well in 2026.
According to NFL Insider Eric Smithling, Glenn is facing pressure – especially after the Jets became the first team in the Super Bowl era to not record one single interception all season long.
“No interceptions. 17 games and not a single interception,” he wrote. “That fact is still hard to believe nearly eight months after the Jets became the first team in the Super Bowl era to go an entire season without recording an interception. That historical blunder is made even worse consider Glenn is a former NFL defensive back and spent four seasons as Detroit Lions defensive coordinator before being hired during the 2025 cycle.”
Smithling concluded by saying that unfortunately for Glenn and the Jets, things could get worse before they get better.
“Other coaches have been let go after one season over far less, leaving Glenn with plenty to prove in Year 2,” he said. “Things can’t get much worse, although the Jets may certainly try.”
Also included on his list are Zac Taylor of the Cincinnati Bengals, Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Shane Steichen of the Indianapolis Colts, and Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Aaron Glenn Won Just Three Games In His First Season As Jets Head Coach
Glenn made several changes to the coaching staff following a rough first year in the Big Apple. Among the names dismissed by the Jets includedlinebackers coach Aaron Curry, defensive line coach Eric Washington, assistant defensive backs coach Dre Bly, defensive assistant Alonso Escalante, defensive assistant Roosevelt Williams, quarterbacks coach Charles London, and pass game coordinator Scott Turner.
“I let the players down. I let the organization down, and that burns me, it really does. This was not expected, where we are this season, and I understand that,” said Glenn. “But here’s what I do know — I know the reason why I came here, and I am not going to waver from my beliefs on what I think wins games in this league.”
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