Victor Green Touts Aaron Glenn as New York Jets’ Next Head Coach

Victor Green, a New York Jets teammate of Aaron Glenn, believes the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator should get the head-coaching job.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) celebrate 24-6 win over Indianapolis Colts as they exit the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) celebrate 24-6 win over Indianapolis Colts as they exit the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The New York Jets will have a new head coach next season. The franchise intends to cast a wide net to find a new leader on the field.

Victor Green believes Jets owner Woody Johnson won’t have to go far to find that coach.

Green played for the Jets from 1993-2001, which was nine of his 11 NFL seasons. During that time he led the NFL in solo tackles and combined tackles in 1996 and was good enough to be selected to the Jets’ All-Time Four Decade Team.

He was also teammates with the player that he believes should be the next head coach of the Jets — former safety and now Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

“They should go out there and get Glenn — he should be their top priority,” Green said to ESPN’s Rich Cimini during his “Flight Deck” podcast. “A guy that was a first-round draft pick, a pro bowl player, a guy that has been the (play) caller. I mean, you look at other coordinators and what they’ve done, they haven’t done it as well as Aaron Glenn is doing it right now.”

Glenn started his post-playing career as a member of the Jets’ front office, which included two years as a scout. He moved into coaching with New Orleans in 2014 as a defensive backs coach, which connected him to his current boss, Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

When Campbell got the head-coaching job in Detroit, Glenn followed him and became his defensive coordinator.

This season the Lions are 12-1 and Glenn is crafting great play from his defense with several defenders on the team’s injured reserve, including top pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

Green says he and Glenn learned plenty from coaches including Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick, the latter an assistant under Parcells when they were with the Jets.

While it is highly unlikely that Belichick will get considering for this job, Green believes the 72-year-old legend’s style might not go over with younger players these days. He says Glenn’s style would go over better with younger players, along with his own credentials as a player.

“I think Aaron Glenn is a very humble guy, but he’s very firm with the team the same time,” Green said. “Over the years, he’s learned to develop young players, and I think he's a great guy for this position right now.”

The Jets selected Glenn with their first-round pick in 1994. He spent the first eight years of his 15-year NFL career with New York and was twice selected to the Pro Bowl. He was named to the Jets’ all-decade team for the 1990s.

In 1996 he led the league with two interception returns for a touchdown. He played for four other franchises, made one other Pro Bowl appearance and had 41 career interceptions by the time he retired after the 2008 season.  


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Matthew Postins
MATTHEW POSTINS

Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Houston Astros for Sports Illustrated/FanNation.