Several Detroit Lions staffers have already found positions elsewhere, notably former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Glenn is the new head coach of the New York Jets, while Johnson is heading up the Chicago Bears. At least Glenn went outside the NFC North, right?
Now, Glenn is being predicted to scoop up some key members of the Lions’ staff and take them with him to New York.
Aaron Glenn is Taking Some Lions With Him
Per NFL reporter and expert Josina Anderson, Lions “pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand’s name is already involved in substantive discussions” for the Jets offense coordinator position. “Steve Wilks’ name has also come up in discussions for the Jets defensive coordinator vacancy, per league source,” she added in the January 28 post.
Aaron Wilson of KPRC added fuel to the fire, stating that “many league sources” have “expressed confidence” that Engstrand “will land the job.”
Other reported candidates for the Jets’ offensive coordinator position, according to the New York Times, include Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell, Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Nick Caley and Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Scott Turner.
Engstrand joined the Lions in 2020, coming up from offensive assistant to eventually passing game coordinator, a position he’s held for two seasons.
Initially, on January 21, a report surfaced from NFL Insider Jordan Schultz that “Glenn is currently constructing his potential staff, which would ideally include Lions quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell — if he doesn’t get the OC job in Detroit — who could be in play as the OC for Glenn.”
Glenn is all the talk in the Big Apple. As their new head coach, he’s already held his first press conference, and he had some kind words for Lions coach Dan Campbell.
“Dan Campbell. Outstanding man,” Glenn said. “Going to Detroit with Dan, we were at the very bottom, you know what we did? We took it to the top.”
Aaron Glenn on the Jets: ‘This is Where I Started’
Also in that initial press conference, Glenn talked about how special it was for him to be back with the New York Jets.
“This is where I started, and you can’t write a better story than that,” Glenn said during the event. “This was my start for a number of situations. As a player, as a scout and now as a head coach. And you can’t write that story no better than that. Hopefully this will be my last stop. That’s the way I’m looking at it.”
He also said that he would change the culture of the team, which sounds like what Campbell did with the Detroit Lions. He discussed that changing the culture means more than just talk. It means action, and Glenn is ready for it.
“Rah rah speeches don’t change cultures,” Glenn said. “People do. I experienced that with Bill Parcells. You bring the right people in with the right mentality and everybody has a shared vision, you’re going to win games.”
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Lions Predicted to Lose Key Staff to Aaron Glenn and the Jets