When the Lions were 4-19-1 a year-and-a-half into their current regime, head coach Dan Campbell was mocked, quarterback Jared Goff vilified and the team collectively written off per usual.
Yet, as if they flipped a switch, the Lions have garnered the overwhelming respect of this town.
General manager Brad Holmes is hailed as a savant as a talent evaluator. Campbell elevated Ben Johnson to offensive coordinator. Quickly and justifiably, Johnson was saluted as the NFL’s best play caller and designer. Goff is now adored and Campbell a superhero.
It wasn’t like that for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Even as the Lions rolled to a 12-5 record and two playoff wins in 2023, he was subject to criticism. You know, The weak link is the defense. Or, What’s with Aaron Glenn?
Last season, the Lions ranked 23rd in the NFL by allowing 23.2 points per game. This season they are 5th at just 18.5 points per game.
They have done this without projected starters, linebacker Derrick Barnes and edge defender Marcus Davenport, most of the season. And without arguably the NFL’s best defensive player, edge Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions have allowed just 28 points combined in resounding victories over the Titans and Packers.
So what do you think of Aaron Glenn now?
While it is highly unlikely Glenn will ever step out of the long shadow cast by Johnson, he’s making nearly as much out of far less talent on his side of the ball. The Lions' only loss this season to Tampa Bay was the result of turnover-plagued play by the offense, not the defense.
The Lions’ defensive yardage stats are similar to last season. The difference is takeaways. The Lions were even in regard to turnover ratio in ‘23. They are plus-11 after eight games in 2024. They have 11 interceptions and five fumble recoveries, putting them on pace for 34 takeaways. Last year, they had 23 for the entire season.
So while the Lions’ defense has allowed a similar amount of yardage, that extra takeaway per game is truly a difference-making factor.
The NFL’s top two safeties according to PFF are the Lions’ Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Joseph, a third-round draft pick, and Branch, a second-rounder, are just in their third and second seasons, respectively. Along with the growth of Barnes, Jack Campbell and Alim McNeill, it speaks volumes about Glenn’s skill at developing younger players.
Johnson, as brilliant as he is, has been presented with far more pieces than Glenn. By far the top players this hierarchy inherited were offensive linemen Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker. The Lions have had four picks in the top dozen overall. Hutchinson was the only one on the defensive side of the ball.
Yet, you never heard any whining about it from Glenn, who played 205 NFL games as a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, which by the way, only adds to his cache.
Glenn and Campbell go way back in their coaching trees. Glenn is by all accounts Campbell’s most-trusted colleague.
Aaron Glenn, like Ben Johnson, should be an NFL head coach. Appreciate them BOTH while they are here.
They’ve been tremendous.