When Dan Campbell was hired as the Detroit Lions head coach in 2021, he made Aaron Glenn one of first staff hires. While Glenn served as the Lions’ defensive coordinator the past four seasons, Ben Johnson, a holdover from Matt Patricia’s staff, started as a tight ends coach under Campell, was promoted to pass game coordinator and then promoted again to offensive coordinator in 2022. With the three men playing integral roles, the Lions authored a dramatic turnaround while improving from 3-13-1 in 2021 to a team that won 27 regular-season games and captured the NFC North title in 2023-24.
With Glenn and Johnson entering the offseason as two of the hottest names on the coaching market, the Bears officially announced Johnson as their HC on Jan. 21 and the Jets followed suit a day later when they announced they had agreed to terms with Glenn to become their head coach. Last week at the NFL Annual League Meeting in Florida, Johnson discussed Glenn and his new offensive coordinator, Tanner Engstrand.
“He’s so unique in terms of a communicator,” Johnson said of Glenn. “He’s got such a wealth of experience because obviously high-level player when he played, has the coaching aspect down pat but also the scouting aspect of it down as well because it’s very rare that you see the trifecta like that come together. He does all three at a high level. He communicates the standard — the players will love him and yet they’ll know they’re getting pushed and challenged every step of the way as well. So, it’s been fun to see the staff that he’s put together. I think he’s done a great job. I knew Steve Wilks was going to be one of the guys there on defense that he trusted and then obviously I know Tanner really well and I think the world of Tanner.”
Much like Campbell, Tanner Engstrand preceded Campbell in Detroit. The Jets’ new offensive coordinator, who joined Patricia’s staff as an offensive assistant in 2020, stayed as an offensive quality control coach in 2021 and transitioned to tight ends coach/passing game coordinator in 2022 under Johnson.