The Detroit Lions have a tough challenge ahead of them with the New York Jets, and the only way they are going to survive is by showing more toughness.
Clearly, the coaching staff led by Dan Campbell understands this fact, and the defensive coordinator is no different. Aaron Glenn knows what it means to be a member of the Jets, both player and staff.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to dominate them this week, though. Glenn spoke to the media on Thursday, December 15 and talked about a matchup that’s near and dear to his heart. As he said, his motivation is for the Lions to win in a big way.
As Dannie Rogers of DetroitLions.com showed in a tweet, Glenn is supremely motivated for this matchup.
“Defensive Coord. Aaron Glenn is very fond of the Jets org. Gave him his start as a player and coach (really as a scout), but said “Any time I go against this team, I want to beat the hell out of them.” Emphasizes he still is very fond of NYJ though lol,” Rogers tweeted.
Glenn, who is already one of the best quotes in the league, may put this on the list of all-timers. As much as he loves the Jets, he clearly wants to get the victory with the Lions this week.
With Detroit surging, that is not a surprise. Count on Glenn to be bringing the motivation all weekend long with this mindset.
Glenn’s Lions Defense Turning Things Around
While the Lions defense got off to a terrible start this year, they have managed to right the ship in a big way over the last few months of the season.
As of now, Detroit no longer ranks last in terms of total defense. The Lions are 31st, allowing 403.2 yards per-game. The Lions are 22nd in pass defense with 22 touchdowns allowed and 3,424 total yards through the air. Against the rush, Detroit rates 26th, but has been much more opportunistic, holding teams to 139 rushing yards per-game.
While the numbers may seem bad, Detroit’s been scrappy and their defense has kept them above water while their offense dominates. Detroit’s defense has only allowed one game over 30 points since the start of their hot streak. As part of their 1-6 start, three teams went over the 30 point barrier. That shows a turnaround.
The Lions are also doing a better job with clutch takeaways. Detroit has 10 in their current hot streak, which helps the defense get off the field in key moments and boost the offense. This clutch series shows how that is the case:
Add it up and Glenn has reason to feel good about his chances. The team has started to turn things around on his side, even if the numbers don’t always say so.
Glenn’s Career Biography & Highlights
At 50, Glenn took his time to get into the coaching ranks given his lengthy career in the NFL, most of which was spent in New York.
After being a first-round pick of the Jets in 1994 out of Texas A&M, Glenn played eight years in New York before heading to his hometown Houston Texans from 2002-2004. He played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2005-2006, then finished his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2007 and the New Orleans Saints in 2008.
Glenn took some time off before jumping into his second career, where he started as a personnel scout with the Jets in 2012 and 2013, then advanced to coaching defensive backs with the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and 2015 before jumping to Sean Payton’s Saints staff in 2016.
One of the most productive and durable players in his era during his time in the league, Glenn finished his career with 41 interceptions, 8 touchdowns and 634 total tackles. Here’s a look at some of his greatest hits in the league:
After being an elite player in New York, Glenn still has the same respect he once did for his former team. Around that, he clearly wants to show off this weekend when he competes against them on the field.
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Aaron Glenn Drops All-Time Quote Showing How Fired up He Is for Jets