The New York Jets and Aaron Glenn agreed to terms on making the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator their head coach Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the hiring.
Glenn, who oversaw the Lions defense the last four years, beat out 15 other candidates for the job as the Jets went through an extensive search to find their next coach.
They ended up choosing one of their former players — a first-round draft pick in 1994 who now gets the chance to try to turn around the fortunes of the franchise 31 years later as its coach.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the hiring. ESPN first reported Glenn agreed to coach the Jets.
The 52-year-old Glenn, who turned Detroit’s defense into one of the best in the league, has been one of the most sought candidates during the NFL’s last two hiring cycles. He interviewed with the Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers last year, and he met with the Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders and Chicago Bears this year.
Glenn spoke with the Jets during a video call Jan. 9 and then interviewed in person Tuesday.
The Jets also interviewed Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Vance Joseph, Mike Locksley, Josh McCown, Matt Nagy, Ron Rivera, Darren Rizzi, Rex Ryan, Bobby Slowik, Arthur Smith, Steve Spagnuolo, Jeff Ulbrich, Mike Vrabel and Joe Whitt Jr. for the job.
But only Glenn received a second interview. And the Jets didn’t need to think twice about talking to anyone else again.
The Jets also are going through a lengthy search for a general manager, and Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark also was at the team’s facility Tuesday.
Newmark, one of 15 candidates to interview for the GM job, was the first to get a second meeting with the Jets — like Glenn — but hasn’t agreed to a deal.
Glenn and the new GM will be tasked with trying to revamp a franchise that has the NFL’s longest active playoff drought at 14 seasons.
Glenn played eight seasons for the Jets and was selected as one of the cornerbacks on the franchise’s All-Time Four-Decade team in 2003.
He later had stints with the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Jaguars and New Orleans Saints and finished his career with 41 interceptions, including six returned for touchdowns, and made the Pro Bowl three times.
After his 15-year playing career, Glenn had a stint as GM of the Houston Stallions of the Lone Star Football League in 2012 before coming back to the Jets as a personnel scout later that year. He served as the Cleveland Browns assistant defensive backs coach in 2014-15 before being hired for the same position in New Orleans. After five seasons with the Saints, the Lions hired him as defensive coordinator in 2021.
Joe Namath, the quarterback who led the Jets to their only Super Bowl victory in 1969, was pleased with the hiring of Glenn.
“I’m hoping all @nyjets fans are as thrilled as my family and I are that Aaron Glenn is our new Head Coach,” Namath wrote on X shortly after the news broke. “I wish the season would start next week!”