Glenn Returns to Detroit Focused on Beating the Lions
The short version
- Aaron Glenn coaches the Jets against his former team, the Lions, in Week 3
- Glenn was Detroit's defensive coordinator from 2021 through 2024 under Dan Campbell
- Both teams are 1-1; Detroit lost to Buffalo 41-31, the Jets fell 20-17 in OT to Green Bay
- Glenn said of his return: "A place that I coached. A place I have fond memories. A place that we want to win"
- Kickoff is Sunday at 1:00 PM EDT on FOX
The Jets head coach spent four years as Detroit's defensive coordinator, but he says Sunday's visit to Ford Field is about one thing: leaving with a victory.
Aaron Glenn heads back to the place where his coaching career took a major step forward, but nostalgia is not on his agenda. The New York Jets head coach visits Ford Field this weekend to face the Detroit Lions in a Week 3 NFL matchup. It marks his first game in Detroit since departing the organization.
Glenn ran the Lions defense for four seasons, serving as Dan Campbell's defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2024. During that stretch, the franchise went from winning three games in a season to competing for NFC titles, a turnaround in which Glenn played a central role as a key figure on Campbell's staff.
Asked directly what the venue and the city represent to him, Glenn kept his answer brief. "A place that I coached. A place I have fond memories. A place that we want to win," he said, adding that much shifts from one season to the next and that he is now two years removed from his time there.
The coach noted that he remains familiar with many members of Detroit's defensive staff and their scheme, and that the offense has kept its system largely intact with only minor adjustments. That knowledge cuts both ways: Glenn said he expects a difficult test and can already picture the messages Campbell is delivering to his players this week. Even so, he expressed confidence that his squad will be prepared.
The bond between the two men runs deep. Glenn recently recounted that Campbell told him well before landing the Detroit job that Glenn would be his defensive coordinator if Campbell ever got a head coaching position, a commitment Campbell honored. Speaking with the Jets' official website, Glenn described Campbell as a really good friend and a really good person. Any warmth will be set aside once kickoff arrives, with Glenn now on the opposite sideline.
Both clubs arrive at 1-1 and hoping to avoid slipping under .500. The Lions were beaten 41-31 by the Buffalo Bills in their last outing, while the Jets dropped a 20-17 overtime decision to the Green Bay Packers. With each side needing a rebound performance, the stakes extend well beyond a homecoming storyline.
Fans can watch the Jets visit the Lions on Sunday, September 27, at 1:00 PM EDT from Ford Field, with the game airing on FOX.
