Bear Digest

Assuming offensive coach for Bears hire ignores true leader

It wouldn't be a surprise to find Aaron Glenn among Bears finalists even from the defensive side of the ball because he fits what Caleb Williams and players want in a coach.
Gene Chamberlain|
Quintessential Bears coaching candidate Aaron Glenn.mp4
Quintessential Bears coaching candidate Aaron Glenn.mp4

In this story:

Chicago Bears

Several Bears job candidates might make little sense to the common consumer of Chicago professional football and one is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

Make no mistake: Glenn is a serious candidate and one only needs to hear Caleb Williams talk about his ideal head coaching hire on the St. Brown brothers' podcast to understand why.  

Williams didn't start out with offensive play caller or passing game coordinator when asked by Amon-Ra St. Brown for his deal type of coach.

"Strong-minded, a leader of men," Williams said. "I think that's a cool thing about what you all got over there in Detroit."

Williams then went on to admit he "selfishly" would like an offensive-side guy but stressed the leader of men type first. Another prerequisite is being able to "...help control the clock," a situation that came up numerous times during last season, including at Detroit when Matt Eberflus earned his walking papers.

That leader of men phrase is the one used by Bears brass from Ryan Poles to Kevin Warren to George McCaskey when they've talked about what they seek.

For that reason it's easy to see why Detroit's defensive coordinator was among the Bears interviews.

Glenn has had five interviews this cycle already and many believe he has a good chance to be hired in New Orleans or with the New York Jets, two teams he played for as a defensive back.

The Bears on Saturday will interview Brian Flores, a defensive coordinator who some players he coaches seem to love but carries around baggage. Glenn is the coach players love who lacks that baggage.

Hearing Glenn speak about coaching, in general, and his pursuit of a head coaching job when he talked to Detroit reporters was enough to clarify why someone whose best defensive rank in four years has been 19th would be considered a potential NFL coach.

His leadership ability was obvious much in the way it is when Dan Campbell talks, and it was most apparent in the way he talked about that very topic.

"Here's how I sum up leadership, really one word: It's influence," he told reporters. "And everybody I come in contact with, I want to influence them in some positive way. And I don't take that for granted when it comes to players because that's my responsibility.

"It's almost the same as my children. I want to make sure that everybody I come in contact with, that when they leave A.G., that they have something positive to say. And it's not always going to be like because I do get pissed off at people, too. But to me that's what I want to impart on every player that I come across with, even the players that end up leaving here. I want to impart something positive into them so as they go about their way, that I've taught them something that can make them a better person and a better player."

After hearing his philosophy delivered with such passion it evokes memories of Herman Edwards, a coach he played for one season with the Jets. It's easy to see why Lions defensive players all swear by Glenn so much.

It's not just the players. Ben Johnson, everybody's favorite to come to either the Bears or Raiders as head coach, wound up singing Glenn's praises Wednesday.

"I think I told you guys this last year," Johnson told Detroit reporters. "He (Aaron Glenn) is beyond qualified right now. You hear all of our players singing his praises right now. That's exactly what I would do. I would second that.

"He is more prepared to be head coach than maybe anybody I've ever ever met. He wants that  and I think he's going to do a phenomenal job in charge."

Two other Glenn comments from his talk to reporters stand out in relation to getting a job. One is his explanation for why offensive coaches seem to be more successful and win Super Bowls than defensive coaches. He disputed this is true and cited Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher. It doesn't matter by his way of thinking.

"I'm a coach,” Glenn said. "I just happen to be on defense. I understand the offense just as well as a number of people.

"If you want to hire me, you're going to hire a coach. You're not gonna hire a defensive coach. I'm gonna talk to the offense just as much as I'm gonna talk to the defense."

The other thing is how Glenn remains true to himself.

"The one thing that I get out of all these interviews is, man, I'm going to be myself and either you like it or you don't," Glenn said. "If you don't, all good. I keep telling you guys, I have a great job here.

"And if you like it, if it's an opportunity that I think is best for me and my family, then we'll take a look at it. But had a really good time over the bye week looking at those but now we're all locked in ready to go and play this game against Washington."

It's not hard to see how Williams could forge a good working relationship with a defensive side coach like Glenn if such a combination would occur.

More Chicago Bears News

X: BearsOnSI

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.