It's no surprise both Detroit Lions coordinators are in-demand for head coaching interviews, though offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has a slight volume lead on defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Each did two virtual interviews on Friday, as allowed by league rules this week for coaches who are still in the playoffs.
Johnson talked to the Washington Commanders and the Carolina Panthers on Friday, while Glenn talked to the Atlanta Falcons and the Tennessee Titans.
Earlier this week head coach Dan Campbell established the window for Johnson and Glenn to do virtual interviews for head coaching jobs, around game prep for Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After Friday's practice was the first window, obviously, and Saturday is another time window for those interviews to be done.
As it turns out, and as expected, Johnson and Glenn will be busy with head coaching interviews on Saturday.
Both Detroit Lions coordinators have full interview schedules on Saturday
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and others, Johnson will have interviews with the Falcons, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. Also per Rapoport, Glenn has interviews with the Commanders and the Chargers on his slate for Saturday.
Glenn had four interview requests submitted for him, and he immediately said he planned to take them all (and he will). Johnson had six interview requests come his way, with only the Titans not having scheduled a meeting yet as of Saturday morning. At this point it looks certain the Titans will be waiting until next week, when in-person interviews are allowed, to interview Johnson if they want to talk to him. And if he wants to take the interview, of course.
It's easy to think Johnson and Glenn will be distracted, even a little, by having head coaching interviews during a week preparing for a game. But they both, as well as Campbell during his Friday press conference, quickly dismissed that concern.
Campbell also acknowledged a flaw in the current hiring process for coaches whose current team is in the playoffs. (h/t to Nick Jhabvala of the Washington Post).
"We’ll find out because it starts today (Friday),” Campbell said. “I know this about both of them: Man, they are 100 percent team-oriented. They’re all about the team, they’re all about this plan, they’re all about those players in that room and the other coaches around them. That’s where it all starts for them. They both understand they have an opportunity, and so they’re going to take these."
"And here’s the luxury that a lot of coaches have that do these that aren’t in the playoffs — they get to dive into the roster. You’re interviewing me. Washington, OK, I’m going to look at your roster up and down and tell you what you do well, what you don’t, what l’d do with it. They can’t do that. They don’t have time. They don’t have time."
Friday and Saturday is the start of a process that could lead to the Lions losing both of their coordinators. Time will tell.