Adam Forsythe / January 27, 2022
When now former head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Sean Payton, announced his decision to step away from coaching, several names began to surface in regards to his successor. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport listed current Saints DC Dennis Allen and a former Saints player as potential candidates to replace the longtime head coach.
While many consider Allen to be the favorite to land the gig, Aaron Glenn is certainly an intriguing candidate. Glenn, a former cornerback in the NFL for 15 years, spent his final season in 2008 as a player with the New Orleans Saints, although he only played in four games that year. Over the course of his playing career, Glenn recorded 41 interceptions and 102 passes defended on his way to earning three pro bowl selections.
Glenn returned to New Orleans as the team’s defensive backs coach in 2016, where he would stay through the 2020 NFL season. During his tenure with the Saints, Glenn helped to develop some bright, young stars in the secondary. One such player is safety Marcus Williams. Although he is remembered by many for the infamous Minneapolis Miracle in the 2017 NFL Playoffs, Williams has put together a solid career for the Saints. Over the course of his four seasons under Glenn, Williams showed off his incredible range and ballhawking capabilities from the free safety position as he hauled in 13 total interceptions. Additionally, Glenn played a pivotal role in the development of cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore quickly bursted onto the scene with a rookie campaign in 2017 that earned him NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Lattimore was voted to the NFL Pro Bowl three times during his four years with Glenn at the helm. Although his play can be inconsistent at times, Lattimore has shown that he can be a top-tier cornerback in the NFL, which is due in part to Glenn’s coaching ability.
Before the start of the 2021 NFL season, Glenn decided to follow Dan Campbell, former Saints tight ends coach and current head coach of the Detroit Lions, to the Motor City to serve as Campbell’s defensive coordinator.
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