Detroit Lions' loss to Commanders expected to 'dramatically' ramp up NFL coaching cycle

Detroit Lions’ loss to Commanders expected to ‘dramatically’ ramp up NFL coaching cycle

Posted by Admin January 19, 2025 NFL

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Now that their season is over, the Detroit Lions‘ assistant coaches can officially be hired away.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn are two top names in the current NFL head coaching carousel. During the Lions‘ bye week ahead of their 45-31 divisional round loss to the Washington Commanders, Johnson and Glenn both virtually interviewed for head coaching positions and can interview in person and potentially accept a job since Detroit’s season is over. Those conversations can begin on Monday after the divisional round ends.

Johnson interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots before they hired Mike Vrabel. Glenn, meanwhile, interviewed with the Raiders, Bears, Jaguars, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, and the Dallas Cowboys are also reportedly interested in Detroit’s defensive coordinator.

On ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” NFL reporter Adam Schefter said the coaching cycle will go into hyperdrive now that two of the top candidates can be hired and went a step further, affirmatively saying both will land a head coaching job again.

“Aaron Glenn, Ben Johnson, they’re going to land head-coaching jobs and they’re expected to get extremely busy this week now that the Lions are surprisingly out of the playoffs,” Schefter said on TV. “The coaches are available for hire, and we’re going to see this hiring cycle get ramped up really quickly right now this week.”

Hours after the Lions’ season abruptly ended on Saturday night, Schefter reported the Raiders are interviewing Commanders assistant general manager Lance Newmark for their general manager position. Newmark joined Washington last offseason after working for the Lions since 1999 in various roles, including most recently as the senior director of player personnel starting in 2021.

“The Raiders are interested in (Johnson), the Bears are interested in him, the Jaguars are interested in him and now he’s got to schedule these meetings to see how he wants to lay out these teams to figure out which of these franchises he wants to go to next,” Schefter said. “And the same is true for Aaron Glenn.’

Newmark joined Washington after general manager Adam Peters hired Dan Quinn as the head coach. Johnson withdrew his name from consideration and Glenn was one of the Commanders’ finalists last year.

The Lions had a rare level of coaching continuity in 2024, which helped them reach a franchise-best 15-2 record in the regular season. Detroit returned both coordinators along with most of the roster from the 2023 team that reached the NFC championship game. However, the familiarity could not save the season as five turnovers and struggles with fourth-down defense sunk their chances against Washington.

Johnson has been the Lions’ offensive coordinator since 2022 and Glenn has run the defense since head coach Dan Campbell took over in 2021.