The New Orleans Saints may be facing a challenging road in their search for a new head coach, as reports suggest Aaron Glenn, the Detroit Lions’ defensive coordinator and a former Saints assistant, prefers the New York Jets if offered both positions. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Glenn has expressed that the Jets are his first choice, a revelation that stings for a Saints organization that has long valued Glenn’s potential.
Glenn’s strong ties to New Orleans, where he served as defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2020, seemed to make him a natural candidate to fill the void left by Dennis Allen. However, with the Jets offering a potentially broader search and higher appeal, New Orleans faces stiff competition.
For the Saints, the loss of Glenn as a top candidate would be a missed opportunity to rebuild a struggling defense that ranked 27th in efficiency this season. Glenn’s success in transforming Detroit’s defense into a top-10 unit despite injuries underscores his ability to lead and innovate.
His connections to the Sean Payton era offer a sense of continuity that could resonate with fans and the front office. Yet, the Saints’ less expansive hiring process compared to the Jets’ may leave them at a disadvantage. As the coaching carousel continues to spin, New Orleans must act decisively to secure Glenn or pivot quickly to alternative candidates to address their critical leadership gap.
The Saints remain focused on a thorough process as they prepare for a critical round of interviews this Friday and Saturday. According to Albert Breer, they plan to meet with Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Philadelphia Eagles OC Kellen Moore, and Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady to expand their pool of candidates.
