Part of the price of success is other teams wanting to tap into it. So the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell will face the prospect of losing their offensive and defensive coordinators to a head coaching job until it happens. And in a certain light, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn can be considered more likely to leave than offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
As selective as Johnson is sure to be if he leaves the Lions for a head coaching job, we can assume Glenn will be selective to some extent too. There is one looming opening we can practically assume Glenn would have little or no interest in despite an easy-ish tie. All job openings are not created equal.
After a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9, their seventh straight loss, the New Orleans Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen. They of course then got the "interim coach" spike in a Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, so the idea interim head coach coach Darren Rizzi could end up being the permanent head coach has naturally followed.
But the Saints should, and surely will, have a full-fledged head coaching search. Their cap situation, as is perpetually the case looking toward the offseason, is not ideal, thus likely limiting the appeal of the job. The Saints are also, reportedly, not planning to rebuild.
Aaron Glenn is too easy to name as top candidate for the Saints' head coaching job
The last time the Saints' head coaching job was open, when Sean Payton stepped down after the 2021 season, Glenn interviewed and seemed to be a finalist before Allen was simply promoted after being Payton's defensive coordinator.
Before following Dan Campbell to Detroit, Glenn spent five seasons (2016-2020) as the Saints' defensive backs coach. So it's easy to assume he'll get an interview for the Saints' job now that it's going to be open again.
During his Monday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show", ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Glenn as a candidate for the Saints' head coaching job when prompted to name some candidates for the permanent post.
"Aaron Glenn. Obvious one. Played for the Saints. Beloved in the franchise. Finalist for the job the last time. Doing a great job in Detroit. That's an obvious candidate, there in New Orleans, right? That's a simple one to me."
"I don't ever recall a Head Coach coming out & saying that he clogged the toilet 😂😂
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 11, 2024
Interim coaches are always fighting an uphill battle to keep their job but it can be done..
Aaron Glenn is an obvious candidate for that Saints job & he's beloved in New Orleans"… pic.twitter.com/ODTHEr2EDl
Schefter is not the first to mention Glenn as a top candidate for the Saints' head coaching job, and he won't be the last. They should make Glenn a priority in their head coaching search.
The big question, in light of the Saints' cap situation in particular, is if Glenn would take the job if it was offered to him. A tentacle to that question is what other opportunities he will have, as he should have multiple head coaching interviews again. To be frank, New Orleans is not in line to get someone who has other legit options.
But maybe Glenn would embrace the challenge of taking what doesn't look like a great situation to a higher level-not unlike what he's been a part of in Detroit. Maybe the Saints can tap into that, and get the guy they may most want to be their next head coach.