Detroit fans will see a familiar face on the sidelines this Sunday when the New York Jets travel to Ford Field to face the Lions. Aaron Glenn, who served as Detroit’s defensive coordinator from 2021 until his departure in 2024, returns to the city that helped launch his NFL coaching career.
Glenn’s Detroit legacy
Glenn was Dan Campbell’s first hire when Campbell took over the Lions in 2021. During his three‑year tenure, Glenn helped transform a defense that was ranked 31st in points allowed into a unit that finished the 2023 season ranked seventh. “I was the first guy hired and it took, I don’t know, maybe a week before we hired anybody else,” Glenn recalled. “We sat in my office, talked football and how we were going to change this program around. Those things will always stick with me because the things that we talked about, we actually did and Detroit actually ended up being exactly where they are now.” He added that Campbell is “a really good friend, a really good person.”
Lions’ defensive woes
Despite Glenn’s past success, the Lions’ defense has struggled this season. After a crushing loss to the Buffalo Bills, Detroit’s unit ranks 31st in the league, surrendering an average of 457 yards and 35.5 points per game. Head coach Dan Campbell defended defensive line coach Kelvin Sheppard, saying, “I believe he’s an outstanding coach. There is a bump in the road. I think the staff is outstanding, that defensive staff. I think it’s a veteran staff, and I think they’re versatile, and we have got to coach better—and they can coach better. I can coach better, but I believe they’re the right guys to get this thing done.”
Game details and broadcast options
The Lions enter the matchup as six‑point favorites, looking to improve to 2‑1 and climb out of a tie for second place in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears. The Jets, also 1‑1, hope to bounce back after a 20‑17 overtime loss to Green Bay that saw them surrender a 17‑7 fourth‑quarter lead.
Local viewers can catch the action on FOX 2. The pre‑game show begins at 10 a.m., followed by the FOX Pregame kickoff at 11 a.m. The game itself starts at 1 p.m., with a post‑game show at 4:30 p.m. and a late‑night Sports Works wrap‑up at 11 p.m. for locker‑room interviews and analysis.
What Glenn expects
Glenn is confident the Jets will be ready for the challenge. “I know that we have a challenge, just like every week,” he said. “It’ll be a good challenge for us, and we’ll be up for it. We’ll be ready.”
For Detroit residents looking to watch the game, the broadcast schedule on FOX 2 provides multiple opportunities to follow the Lions and see how the former coordinator’s return influences the matchup.
Original reporting: Warren | FOX 2 Detroit — read the source article.
