Aaron Glenn: 'I'm No Fake'

Glenn achieved success by being authentic.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has become a popular candidate for the current available head coaching jobs across the NFL. 

Last week, Glenn was voted as the league's top defensive coordinator by the NFL Players' Association. 

Now in his third year as the Lions' defensive coordinator, he credits his success to the collaborative environment fostered by head coach Dan Campbell. 

"Listen, I feel like I grow every year in different aspects of just the NFL in general," Glenn said. "Number one, as a play-caller, number two, understanding the big picture from not just a coordinator perspective but a head coach. Dan does a really good job of filling me and allowing me to have my thoughts to him on different situations that have happened and how I would handle them. So just hats off to him, it's the reason why we have a coaching staff like we do. Even our younger guys are ascending."

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As far as individual growth, the Lions have seen strides taken on the defensive side in the third year under Glenn's direction. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Lions' defense ranked 19th in yards allowed per game, second against the run and 27th against the pass.

By collaborating with Campbell on various day-to-day aspects that come with being a head coach, Glenn has been able to become comfortable with the responsibilities that accompany the top job. 

Additionally, Glenn carries a strong reputation by being authentic around the players. This is an effective approach, as he has earned plenty of respect in the Lions' locker room as well as around the league.

"Man, there are a lot of ways that I've grown and it's too much to actually sit here and talk about," Glenn explained. "But understanding how to collaborate with the GM, understanding how to speak with your owner. More than that, understanding how to relate with your players, which is not an issue for me at all. I'm just gonna be myself, and I think that's one thing that the players see. I'm no fake. The thing that players do, they can point out fake. And there's nothing fake about me." 

As a result of the team's success, paired with Glenn's reputation as a strong leader, he has warranted interest from organizations looking to find their next head coach. As of Thursday, the Lions have received interview requests for Glenn from the Chargers, Titans, Commanders and Falcons. 

The coordinator told reporters Thursday that he plans to take all four of the interviews but remains focused on the Lions' upcoming Wild Card showdown with the Los Angeles Rams. 

"Listen, I'm flattered by the interview requests, I really am," Glenn said. "I do not want to sound like coach speak, but I try to focus on the main thing for this team, for this organization. This is a big deal for us and to be able to go out there and beat this team, which is a good team, is huge. I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm really, really focused on how we're gonna play defensively against this team."