Gang Green Nation
The man from Humble seeks to start a bright new era of Jets football
The New York Jets have hired a new head coach and an old friend. Former Jets cornerback Aaron Glenn, most recently the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, has been hired to try and turn around a Jets franchise that has seen little but hard times for the last fourteen years.
Aaron Glenn was born and raised in Humble Texas. He played cornerback at Texas A&M University before entering the 1994 NFL draft, where he was selected by the New York Jets as the 12th overall pick in the first round. Glenn went on to an outstanding eight year stint as a cornerback for the Jets, starting 120 games and recording 24 interceptions, including five pick sixes. Glenn also was the Jets’ primary kick returner in four seasons and scored a kick return touchdown in 1997. He made the Pro Bowl twice as a Jet, in 1997 and 1998.
In 2002 the Houston Texans expansion team entered the NFL. In the ensuing one team expansion draft the Jets left Aaron Glenn unprotected, believing his age (going into his age 30 season) and relatively high cost would likely scare off the Texans from taking him in the expansion draft. They were wrong. Glenn was taken by the Texans with the third pick in the 2002 NFL expansion draft. His $8 million salary cap figure was by far the highest of any player taken by the Texans. Glenn went on to play three seasons with the Texans, garnering the third and final Pro Bowl honors of his career with Houston in 2002. He closed out his playing days with short tenures with the Dallas Cowboys (2005-2006), Jacksonville Jaguars (2007) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2008).
In 2003 Aaron Glen was named a starting cornerback on the Jets all time team by Jets fans. On July 28, 2010 Aaron Glenn signed a one day deal with the Houston Texans so he could retire as a Texan, despite playing just three of his 15 NFL seasons with the team.
Aaron Glenn began his post-playing days career with the Jets when he was hired as a scout. From 2014-2015 Glenn served as assistant defensive backs coach with the Cleveland Browns. From 2016 through 2020 Glenn served as defensive backs coach with the New Orleans Saints. The Detroit Lions hired Glenn as their defensive coordinator in 2021, and he has been in that position until today.
Aaron Glenn’s defenses with the Lions showed steady improvement in his four years there. In points allowed Glenn’s defenses ranked 31st, 28th, 23rd and 7th in the years 2021 through 2024, respectively. In yards allowed Glenn’s defenses ranked 29th, 32nd, 19th and 20th, respectively.
Now Glenn gets an opportunity to turn around perhaps the most moribund franchise in the NFL. He will need to assemble a good staff and work his way through the process of adjusting to being the top guy for the first time in his...
