The Jets head coach hire has received a stamp of approval from a franchise icon.
Joe Namath expressed his excitement Wednesday about the Jets hiring Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, their former Pro Bowl cornerback, as their new head coach.
“I’m hoping all @nyjets fans are as thrilled as my family and I are that Aaron Glenn is our new Head Coach,” Namath wrote on X. “I wish the season would start next week!”
The Jets interviewed Glenn for a second time Tuesday in Florham Park and decided to make him their coach despite not having a new general manager yet.
Glenn replaces Robert Saleh, who was fired after a 2-3 start to the 2024 season, his fourth with the team. GM Joe Douglas was fired six weeks later.
The GM who will work with Glenn has not been hired yet.
Glenn, 52, was a first-round pick (No. 12 overall) by the Jets in the 1994 draft and was a cornerback for them for eight seasons, earning two Pro Bowl nods. He then joined the Texans in their expansion draft and played for them for three seasons. He finished his career with the Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints.
Glenn was a scout for the Jets in 2012 and ’13 before beginning his coaching career with the Browns as their assistant defensive backs coach.
The Saints hired Glenn as defensive backs coach in 2016 and became the Lions defensive coordinator in 2021.
