- The Detroit Lions lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears, and now defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will coach the New York Jets.
- The 5–12 Jets had a turmoil-filled season, firing Robert Saleh after Week 5, and Jeff Ulbrich led the team for the rest of the season.
- Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to decide on whether he’ll play in 2025.
The New York Jets are coming off a nightmare season, in which they finished 5-12, went through two head coaches, and a general manager.
They’ve decided on their next head coach, as Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has been hired.
Glenn Played with Jets from 1994-2001, Has Been Detroit DC Since 2021
Glenn’s hiring was announced on January 22, just days after the Lions lost 45-31 to Washington in the NFC Divisional Round.
It has been a tough week for the Lions, who lost offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to their NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears, on January 21. But Glenn has roots with the Jets, who drafted the former cornerback with the 12th pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. Glenn played with the Jets for eight seasons from 1994 to 2001, making two Pro Bowls there. He was also a personnel scout for the team in 2012 and 2013.
The 52-year-old has been the defensive coordinator in Detroit since 2021, and the Lions finished 31st in points allowed. They improved each year, and in 2024, the Lions finished seventh in that category. The Lions did get torn apart by Washington in the NFC Divisional Round, but the defense was decimated by injuries by the end of the season.
The Jets needed to do something as they fired head coach Robert Saleh after a Week 5 23-17 loss to Minnesota in London. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took over for the Jets, who were 2-3 at the time, and went 3-9 the rest of the way. The beleaguered Jets also fired general manager Joe Douglas after Week 11. They were a team to stay away from if you were in any NFL same-game parlay contests.
What Does Glenn’s Hiring Mean for Aaron Rodgers?
Rodgers. The 41-year-old completed 63% of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. But he’s no longer the Rodgers of old, as his mobility is gone due to an Achilles injury that forced him to miss virtually all of the 2023 season. The Jets traded for his former Green Bay teammate, Davante Adams, but that didn’t change the Jets’ fortunes.
Rodgers has a year left on a three-year deal worth $112 million that he signed in 2023. He said that he’ll decide on his future when the Jets hire a new coach and general manager. They haven’t hired a GM yet, but Rodgers and Glenn will likely be in contact soon, and they probably have been already. There are also odds for Rodgers’ potential retirement out there, and after this season, there’s a chance that could happen.
But Glenn’s first order of business is sorting out the locker room, where there was drama with Rodgers, and receiver Garrett Wilson wasn’t happy about losing targets to Adams. In his first head-coaching chance, Glenn has a massive job on his hands.
