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Aaron Glenn

Aaron Glenn A HC Candidate In Dallas?

January 18th, 2025 at 4:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Compared to the other open head coaching positions, we have heard relatively little about the possibilities in Dallas. So far, the names connected to the Cowboys are few and far between as the team has interviewed just two candidates and only has one other interview on the schedule. That makes it noteworthy to see Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reporting Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as “a name to watch closely” in connection to the job.

Like his coworker on the offensive side of the ball in Detroit, Glenn’s name has been an extremely popular one in multiple searches for a new head coach around the league. He has been mentioned as a candidate for every other open position, already having interviewed with the Jets (1/9), Raiders (1/10), Saints (1/10), Bears (1/11), and Jaguars (1/11) and declining an interview with the Patriots. While New York has reportedly been extremely interested in adding the 52-year-old to lead their staff, so far, the Saints have been heavily linked as a favorite to land Glenn.

Dallas, on the other hand, has been fairly inactive in their search after they got a late start on the process. They’ve interviewed their former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator and current Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (1/17) and former Jets head coach Robert Saleh (1/18), and they have an interview scheduled with former Vikings head coach and current Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier for Monday. They’ve shown interest in two collegiate head coaches, but North Carolina’s Bill Belichick remains committed to the Tar Heels, and the interest in Colorado’s Deion Sanders has not resulted in anything substantial as of yet.

A Houston native, Glenn played for four of the teams with open jobs (Jets, Cowboys, Jaguars, and Saints) as a cornerback in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The proximity of Dallas and New Orleans to his hometown could be factors in their relevance during his job search, as well. He also spent time on the coaching staff in New Orleans for five seasons as defensive backs coach before landing the coordinator job in Detroit.

Glenn is perhaps the most sought-after coach in this coaching cycle, as evidenced by his connection to every open job so far. The Cowboys will need to make up some ground on a number of teams that have over a week’s head start on courting Glenn in order to contend for his services. Team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones, though, reportedly holds Glenn in “especially high regard,” so their pursuit may be starting soon.

NFL Coaching Rumors: Johnson, Orlovsky, Sanders

January 18th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Ely Allen

There has been a bit of criticism in recent days over the interview process for head coaching candidates on playoff teams as coordinators for the Lions, Bills, Chiefs, Eagles, and Ravens have all been participating in interviews during their free time throughout the week. Many of the teams looking to fill head coaching jobs will be watching the Lions’ game against the Commanders tonight, as the results could be a big catalyst for things to come.

According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, if Detroit were to fall to the Commanders tonight, a chain reaction could result for coaching jobs as a mad dash would be incoming to complete in-person interviews with both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. If the Lions continue to win, though, it could continue to stall the hiring process until both coaches become available for in-person interviews.

In anticipation for this expected interest, Johnson has hired a new agent, Rick Smith of Priority Sports, per Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Smith will likely be apprised of what Johnson’s preferences are and will be fielding phones calls for second interviews as soon as he becomes available.

Johnson has interviewed for the Bears’, Jaguars’, and Raiders’ open positions, as well as the Patriots’ job that was filled by Mike Vrabel. He has not been mentioned as a candidate in New Orleans or New York, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter doesn’t believe he’s in play for the Cowboys’ job.

Here are some other coaching rumors from around the league:

  • One media name has been floating around coaching rumors as former NFL quarterback and ESPN personality Dan Orlovsky has expressed interest in entering the coaching world. Orlovsky claimed on the Pat McAfee Show that he’s “had conversations with places about stuff in the coaching world.” While he’s very happy with his place on television, ESPN jobs are pretty unstable, as we’ve seen in recent years, and Orlovsky admits that if the right situation presented itself, he would be open to exploring it. Later in the week on the show, Schefter confirmed that Orlovsky has been communicating with teams in search of any positions that may fit the bill and interest him. Orlovsky’s interest would be more in the realm of a quarterbacks coach or perhaps even an offensive coordinator gig, but nothing substantial seems to be forming as of yet.
  • There’s been a lot of momentum lately on Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as a candidate for the Cowboys‘ open position. One hurdle mentioned has been a roughly $10MM buyout that could certainly be a deterrent in landing his services. NFL Insider Josina Anderson recently pointed out another hurdle in the process. In order to formally interview Sanders, the Cowboys would need to obtain approval from the school’s athletic director, Rick George, and inform the league office.

Jets Start Submitting HC Interview Requests

January 17th, 2025 at 11:28am CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 17: Griese declined the Jets’ interview request, Brian Costello of the New York Post writes. That makes him the first candidate to turn down the chance to meet with the team. New York has, of course, nevertheless compiled a long list of targets as the search process for a new full-time head coach continues.

JANUARY 6: The Jets have been free to interview coaching candidates not currently under contract to other teams. Now that the regular season is over, however, formal interview requests can be made to speak with staffers employed elsewhere.

The Jets have been quite busy on that front, sending out requests to numerous staffers as they map out the next phase of their search process. New York has already interviewed former head coaches Ron Rivera and (after the expiration of his Browns consulting contract) Mike Vrabel. The same will also be true of former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who said on Monday he sees himself as the top candidate.

In addition to those three, a slew of coaches have received an interview request. That includes Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Slowik is in his second season leading Houston’s offense after he followed DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco. The Texans put up strong numbers during quarterback C.J. Stroud‘s rookie season, leading to head coaching interest in Slowik’s case. The 37-year-old’s unit regressed in 2024, but he has still landed at least one interview request this time around.

The Jets have also requested an interview with Arthur Smith, per Rapoport. That comes as little surprise given the interest New York showed in Smith this past offseason for a role on the team’s offensive staff. Smith instead took the Steelers’ OC gig, but a recent report noted he was likely to receive a look for head coach from the Jets. After three years at the helm of the Falcons (which consisted entirely of 7-10 seasons), Smith immediately moved on to his current role in Pittsburgh. He turned aside interest for North Carolina’s head coaching position, but it will be notable if he explores any HC vacancies at the NFL level this winter.

Another offensive staffer who has received an interview request is Joe Brady. Rapoport reports the Bills’ play-caller has received a slip from the Jets, one which could very well be followed by others shortly. Brady had a forgettable tenure under Matt Rhule with the Panthers, but he has been in Buffalo since 2022. The 35-year-old took over as interim OC midway through last season, and that move sparked improvement in the team’s run game in particular. Brady remained in place on a full-time basis for 2024, and he again guided Buffalo to a strong showing on offense.

Remaining on the offensive side of the ball, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports New York is interested in speaking with Matt Nagy. The former Bears head coach would meet the Jets’ desire to add an experienced leader on the sidelines, although Nagy’s Chicago tenure did not yield much in the way of success after 2018. Following his Chicago firing after the 2021 campaign, Nagy returned to the Chiefs to serve as their QBs coach. The 46-year-old was then promoted to offensive coordinator (in a non play-calling capacity) last offseason following Eric Bieniemy‘s departure. Nagy’s work in that role has put him on the HC radar, with the Saints also being a team believed to have interest.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Brian Griese has also received an interview request. The longtime quarterback had a stretch working as an ESPN analyst from 2009-22, but since then he has worked as a member of the 49ers’ coaching staff. This season marked his third as San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach, and as such Griese has played a large role in developing Brock Purdy into a candidate for the NFL’s next mega-extension at the position. Given his lack of coaching experience, a jump to HC would come as a surprise at this point, but Griese could receive some consideration from the Jets.

Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown is another staffer with an offensive background whom the Jets are looking into. Schefter reports the 45-year-old has received an interview request. McCown’s playing career ended in 2020, and it did not take long for him to transition to coaching. He coached the Panthers’ quarterbacks last season before taking on the same role with the Vikings for 2024. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has understandably received praise for Sam Darnold‘s strong play this year, but McCown’s role has no doubt helped his stock as well.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh midseason and struggled under interim HC (and former defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich), it would come as no surprise if an offensive staffer were to be targeted by the Jets. Not all candidates have that background, though. Schefter reports Vance Joseph has received an interview request, one which may well be followed by others this cycle. His work leading the Broncos’ defense (No. 7 in yards allowed, No. 3 in scoring) has not gone unnoticed, and a second head coaching opportunity could come about as a result. Joseph, 52, coached the Broncos in 2017 and ’18.

Another popular candidate is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Jets have submitted a request. Glenn has been in his current role since 2021, and after receiving confidence from head coach Dan Campbell in the wake of previous poor outings his unit has shown improvement this year. Despite dealing with several injuries, the Lions ranked seventh in scoring defense en route to the top seed in the NFC. Glenn has not worked as a head coach in the NFL before, but the 2025 cycle could present his first opportunity to do so.

Rounding out defensive candidates, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Brian Flores is on the list of staffers New York wishes to speak with. His success as Vikings defensive coordinator has boosted his stock, and the former Dolphins coach made it clear earlier this season he would welcome another opportunity to lead a staff. Other suitors could be in play as well, and Flores’ interview process will be worth watching closely.

Other candidates will no doubt emerge soon, but for now the Jets have a long list of targets as they seek out Saleh’s long-term replacement. It will be interesting to see where Ulbrich fits into this equation; in any event, though, he figures to have considerable competition for the gig.

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 15th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-11-25 (11:40am CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Jets, Saints Remain Top Suitors For Lions DC Aaron Glenn

January 12th, 2025 at 1:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, Aaron Glenn is among the most popular candidates in this year’s head coaching cycle. With the top-seeded Lions on the bye this week, the team’s defensive coordinator was busy taking interviews with each of his numerous suitors.

[RELATED: Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Glenn spoke with five teams in recent days, taking every interview with an interested party except for the Patriots. New England has since become the first team to fill its HC vacancy, making the expected move of hiring Mike Vrabel. Now that the first domino has fallen, Glenn’s name in particular will be worth watching closely.

The 52-year-old “crushed” each of his interviews, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports (video link). As a result, Glenn could very well find himself involved in follow-up meetings with at least a few teams as their searches heat up. To no surprise, Jones notes the Jets and Saints remain potential landing spots provided Glenn does indeed land a head coaching position for the first time in his career.

During the course of his 15-year tenure as a player, Glenn spent eight seasons in New York. It was with the Jets that he earned two of his three Pro Bowl nods, and his success on the field (not to mention the degree to which his stock as a coaching candidate has increased in recent years) helped make him one of the team’s first recipients of an interview request. Indeed, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes the three names mentioned most frequently in connection to the Jets are Glenn, Vrabel and Vikings DC Brian Flores.

Having moved on from Robert Saleh after three-plus seasons, the Jets are a candidate to change approaches on the sidelines by looking to a coach with an offensive background. Graziano’s colleague Rich Cimini notes some observers agree that is the route the team will take, although others point to Glenn as the “best fit” for their current vacancy. He has been an NFL staffer since 2014, including four years in his current post as the leader of Detroit’s defense.

Of course, Glenn’s first coordinator gig was preceded by a five-year run in the Saints’ organization. He worked as New Orleans’ defensive backs coach during that span, and a return to the city to replace Dennis Allen remains a possibility to watch for. A recent report suggest Glenn could be the leading candidate for the Saints, one of the teams which has kept an eye out for the potential of Mike McCarthy reaching the open market.

McCarthy and the Cowboys are negotiating a new deal, though, and it remains to be seen if his existing contract will expire without a new agreement being in place (or at least imminent). Provide McCarthy winds up being unavailable, the Saints could move quickly in arranging a second interview with Glenn. The Jets will also be worth watching on that front.

Mike McCarthy Connected To Saints’ HC Job; Aaron Glenn Holding Early Lead?

January 9th, 2025 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike McCarthy resides in the unique position of being under contract for a team at season’s end but not tied to that club for the ensuing season. The Cowboys constructed his deal to expire Jan. 14. Not giving their five-year HC an extension despite three straight 12-win seasons, the Cowboys have five days to extend him.

The sides are still talking, and a decent chance exists McCarthy is back in Dallas on a second contract. But that is not a lock. The Bears attempted to test the Cowboys on this front by sending a McCarthy interview request; Dallas blocked it. The NFC East team will not be able to block any such overtures after Tuesday; no deal being done by then would send McCarthy to the market and create one of the more interesting scenarios we have seen on a coaching carousel.

If McCarthy reaches the market, the Saints could emerge as an option. While the Bears would conceivably be back in play, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates McCarthy could have some interest in the New Orleans position. McCarthy has a past with the organization, having been the Saints’ offensive coordinator from 2000-04.

That marked McCarthy’s first OC job, and it started off well. Despite losing starter Jeff Blake to injury during the 2000 season, the Saints rallied to the playoffs behind second-year QB Aaron Brooks. The team then notched its elusive first playoff win, over the defending champion Rams. New Orleans, however, did not make the playoffs again during Jim Haslett‘s tenure. The Saints did still rank in the top 14 offensively in each McCarthy season. By 2005, McCarthy was in San Francisco as 49ers OC, using that perch to land the Packers’ HC job in 2006.

The GM during part of McCarthy’s Saints stint remains, and Mickey Loomis has been connected to prioritizing familiarity. Aaron Glenn came up as a candidate last month, and he joins fellow ex-Saints assistant Joe Brady on the team’s interview list. This McCarthy tie also follows a report that had the Saints content with their current list of candidates. McCarthy, 61, could certainly be added if his Cowboys contract expires without a new deal in place.

Going into the first round of interviews, though, Fowler adds that Glenn may have the early lead. It would not be surprising to see the four-year Lions DC land this job. He was a candidate in 2022 despite the Lions having finished 3-13-1 in ’21. Glenn coached the Saints’ DBs for five seasons under Sean Payton, working under Loomis, who is running this search.

The Lions have also become one of the league’s premier success stories in recent memory, completing a rebuild that has since produced 13-4 and 15-2 records. Glenn’s defense also closed the regular season with a statement, holding the high-octane Vikings attack to nine points despite missing a few key cogs.

Glenn, 52, is set to meet with four other teams — the Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Raiders — between now and Saturday. His Saints virtual interview is scheduled for Friday. More updates will emerge in connection with the New Orleans job, but given Glenn’s ties to the team and his decision to decline a Patriots interview request, the veteran assistant may be close to nailing down a job after a few years of trying.

Courtesy of PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Saints’ HC search looks:

Aaron Glenn Declines Patriots Interview Request

January 9th, 2025 at 4:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

JANUARY 9: Glenn has five HC meetings booked; the Lions DC found time to accommodate a midweek Raiders request. But the invite the Patriots sent will not produce an interview. Glenn declined the New England meeting, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The fourth-year Lions assistant will still meet with the Bears, Jaguars, Jets, Saints and Raiders between tonight and Saturday.

Mike Vrabel is viewed as the clear frontrunner in New England, and he was able to meet in-person with the team today due to not being on a staff presently (those employed by other teams cannot yet meet with teams in-person). Glenn colleague Ben Johnson is on tap to meet about the job Friday, but reporting has continued to place Vrabel in pole position. Glenn may see the writing on the wall and would then devote his efforts to landing one of the other available jobs.

JANUARY 8: The Patriots have submitted a request to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Glenn has now been requested by all six teams with a head coaching vacancy. He led Detroit’s defense to a top-1o scoring finish this season despite a myriad of injuries at all three levels. The former cornerback already has four interviews scheduled – with the Jets, Saints, Bears, and Jaguars – so he may not have time for two more this weekend while preparing for the Lions’ playoff run.

In place on Dan Campbell‘s staff since 2021, Glenn has seen his unit enjoy a turnaround this year relative to past performances (in certain categories, at least). Between that success and a continued endorsement from Campbell with respect to his head coaching readiness, it comes as little surprise the 52-year-old is one of the most sought-after candidates this year. Glenn’s playing career included time spent with the Jets, Jaguars and Saints, so he has a natural connection to those franchise’s vacancies.

Likewise, the three-time Pro Bowler spent time coaching in New Orleans, and as such he represents a candidate to return to the city during the 2025 hiring cycle. No such connections exist between the Glenn and the Patriots. New England’s list of targets nevertheless continues to grow in the early stages of the process. The Patriots have already satisfied the Rooney Rule with yesterday’s interviews (Byron Leftwich, Pep Hamilton), but meeting with Glenn will add to the number of external minority candidates interviewed for their vacancy.

Jerod Mayo was dismissed on Sunday after his first season as Bill Belichick‘s successor. Former Patriots Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have been connected to the job, but Glenn is among the top options on the market if owner Robert Kraft elects to go in a different direction with this hire.

Via PFR’s head coaching search tracker, here is an updated look at New England’s search:

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Raiders Request HC Interviews With Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn; Team Expected To Pursue Brian Flores

January 8th, 2025 at 9:29am CST by Sam Robinson

The Raiders had let Antonio Pierce speak with the media Monday, only to fire him a day later. The team will now shift focus to replacing another coach. Two big names are on the radar. The Raiders sent out interview requests for Lions OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn, SI.com’s Albert Breer reports. Another candidate is also likely to receive an interview slip.

Johnson is taking the interview, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz confirming the Detroit play-caller will meet with Las Vegas brass Friday. He is now set to meet virtually with four teams, also being on tap to talk with the Bears, Jaguars and Patriots between Friday and Saturday.

In addition to retaining GM Tom Telesco, the Raiders are set to give Tom Brady a clear voice in this search. That will be an interesting dynamic to monitor, and it also may shape where this search will go. Despite the team firing Josh McDaniels midway through the 2023 season, the Raiders are believed to be interested in another Bill Belichick disciple. The team is expected to pursue Brian Flores, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets.

Counting Rich Bisaccia, Mark Davis has now moved on from four HCs since October 2021. Pierce did receive a longer runway than the Patriots gave Jerod Mayo, as he was Las Vegas’ interim HC for nine games in 2023. But his inexperience showed. It should be expected the Raiders will target a seasoned candidate this time, though without a quarterback answer (and without a top-five pick to acquire one) and after heavy staff turnover this decade, questions loom about this job.

Johnson, 38, having been quite selective in the past will make this an interesting sales pitch on the Raiders’ part; the high-end candidate is again on track to be choosey. The only team on his interview list without a franchise QB hopeful, the Raiders may have a complicated sales pitch to complete.

Glenn, 52, has not been as picky in terms of meetings. Based on Glenn’s docket thus far, a Raiders meeting should be anticipated. Glenn has agreed to meet with four other teams (the Bears, Jaguars, Jets and Saints) this week. The Lions having booked a No. 1 seed means Glenn and Johnson can meet with HC-needy clubs virtually this week, whereas coaches on teams in wild-card matchups must wait until next week for virtual interviews to begin. The Raiders will likely attempt to schedule Glenn and Johnson meetings for this early window.

The Lions have ridden Johnson’s innovative offense to a 15-2 record, building on the climb they made in 2023. Glenn’s unit has stepped up this season. Despite losing Aidan Hutchinson in October, the Lions rank seventh in scoring defense. A fixture on recent HC carousels, Glenn now has real momentum and looks to have his best shot to date at landing a head coaching job.

A Flores pursuit would be quite interesting given his ties to the Patriots. Davis cleaned house on his Patriot Way plan midway through its second season, firing McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler hours after the 2023 trade deadline. Flores worked with both, with he and McDaniels being part of the Patriots’ coaching staff together across eight seasons. Flores, however, has done plenty since leaving Foxborough. He spent three years as the Dolphins’ HC, a tenure that led to a class-action discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and multiple teams (one that is ongoing).

Flores, 43, has fared well as the Vikings’ DC; the 14-3 team’s defense ranks fifth in scoring. The former three-year Miami HC’s recent work has generated interest from other teams. It should be expected he would take a Raiders meeting — if an interview request eventually surfaces — as he said this week he would honor all interview requests.

Jaguars Submit HC Interview Requests

January 7th, 2025 at 11:09am CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Jaguars fired Doug Pederson following his third season at the helm. As a result, Jacksonville is one of five teams in need of a new head coach.

On Monday, it was learned a trio of offensive coordinators were on the Jaguars’ radar: Ben Johnson (Lions), Liam Coen (Buccaneers) and Joe Brady (Bills). All three have indeed received an interview request, but the team announced on Tuesday that other coaches are also on the radar.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is among the coaches whom the Jags are seeking an interview with. Monken has already received a slip from the Bears, and it comes as little surprise he is drawing interest from multiple suitors. Baltimore led the league in total offense this season, ranking third in scoring with an average of 30.5 points per game. A veteran position coach and coordinator at the college and pro levels, the 58-year-old has never been a head coach in the NFL.

Another OC on the Jaguars’ radar is Kellen Moore. Following a four-year run as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, the former quarterback spent the 2023 season in the same role with the Chargers. With the Bolts making sweeping moves on the sidelines last offseason under Jim Harbaugh, though, Moore was expectedly on the move again in the 2024 hiring cycle. The 35-year-old has worked with the Eagles this year, and the team ranks top-10 in points and yards per game. Moore has also received an interview request from the Saints for their HC position.

A trio of coaches with a defensive background have received a slip from Jacksonville. That includes, interestingly, Robert Saleh. The 45-year-old was this season’s first head firing when his Jets tenure came to an end in Year 4. Saleh’s coaching history also includes four years as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator and, prior to that, several gigs as a positional coach. One of those was Jacksonville’s linebackers coach from 2014-16. Saleh has worked with the Packers since October, and it will be interesting to see if he considers a return to Duval County during this year’s hiring cycle.

In addition, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has received an interview request. He spent the past three seasons leading Vegas’ defense, and he also has experience as a DC with the Dolphins and Giants. Graham, 45, served as an assistant head coach during two of his years in New York, but he has never led a staff at the college or NFL levels. This is his first HC interview request of the 2025 hiring cycle.

Rounding out the Jags’ list is Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. To little surprise, he has joined Johnson as one of the top candidates this year, and his name has been attached to three other suitors. Jacksonville could therefore have competition for his services if an interview is arranged and it goes well.

Many were surprised when it was learned Jags general manager Trent Baalke will be retained in the wake of Pederson’s dismissal. Questions have been raised about how willing the top candidates will be to head to Jacksonville as a result, and it will be interesting to see how many of the team’s initial targets set up an interview over the near future.

Saints Request HC Interviews With Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn

January 6th, 2025 at 4:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

4:24pm: The Glenn request is official, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports. That comes as no surprise, but the Saints could have competition from at least two other teams depending on how Glenn interviews with Chicago and New York. More suitors could also emerge in the wake of his strong 2024 showing.

2:55pm: Familiarity looks to be important for the Saints. At least, their HC search initially points in that direction. Two former New Orleans staffers are on the list to replace Dennis Allen.

Ex-Allen lieutenant Aaron Glenn is expected to receive an interview request from the Saints, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Glenn has served as the Lions’ DC for four seasons. Also on staff alongside Allen under Sean Payton, Joe Brady is on the Saints’ radar. New Orleans officially submitted a request to the Buffalo OC, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

The Glenn request — rumored to be in the works for a bit now — marks his second from the NFC South club over the past three years. Glenn, 52, worked as Saints DBs coach under Payton from 2016-20. Coaching the likes of Marshon Lattimore and Marcus Williams, Glenn helped the Saints’ defense — under Allen’s leadership — complete a dramatic turnaround after the unit had bottomed out in the mid-2010s. Glenn has since elevated the Lions into a top-10 defense.

It might not be automatic the Saints lure Glenn back, as the veteran coordinator is being tied to just about every available job. The Jets and Bears have submitted a request. As part of a No. 1-seeded team, Glenn can also meet virtually with HC-needy clubs this week. Candidates tied to other playoff teams must wait until after their wild-card contests to begin virtual meetings.

Brady, 35, did not hold a high-ranking post during his time in New Orleans. He served as a Saints offensive assistant from 2017-18. Brady has since been on the rise, a climb that began when he served as pass-game coordinator for LSU’s unbeaten 2019 national champion team. After being fired from his post as Panthers OC, Brady has rebounded in Buffalo. Josh Allen has submitted his best all-around season, remaining the MVP favorite after piloting the Bills to a third straight AFC No. 2 seed. The Bills rank second in scoring, having beaten both the Lions and Chiefs this season. Unlike Glenn, Brady was not part of the Saints’ 2022 search to replace Payton.

Despite Allen’s struggles, the Saints have been connected to a hire familiar with the organization. They have not relieved longtime GM Mickey Loomis of his duties, as the veteran enters Year 24 in that post. Loomis is the second-longest-tenured pure GM in NFL history — behind only Cowboys Hall of Famer Tex Schramm. It will be interesting to see how many coaches with backgrounds exclusively outside the organization receive extensive looks, but Brady and Glenn look like two strong candidates based on their resumes.

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