Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone might be wearing a different color next fall, and not the Honolulu blue kind.
With Anzalone set to hit free agency this March, league buzz is growing that a reunion with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could be in the works, this time with the New York Jets. And honestly? The dots connect pretty cleanly.
Why the Aaron Glenn Connection Matters
Glenn knows Anzalone as well as any coach in the league. The two worked together in New Orleans, and Glenn later helped bring Anzalone to Detroit in 2021 as part of the culture-reset under Dan Campbell.
Now Glenn is running the Jets’ defense, and according to NFL insider Tony Pauline, Anzalone is one of the veterans most likely to follow him.
“Talk of Lions players following Aaron Glenn to New York isn’t new,” Pauline reported. “But word in Frisco says the odds are high that Anzalone, the nine-year veteran who will become a free agent in March, will be playing for the Jets in 2026.”
For a Jets team trying to build leadership, toughness, and defensive continuity, Anzalone checks every box.
A Decade of Consistency in Detroit
Since arriving in Detroit in 2021, Anzalone has been one of the Lions’ emotional and tactical anchors in the middle of the defense:
Alex Anzalone with the Lions (2021–2025):
- Games: 73 (73 starts)
- Total Tackles: 490
- Solo Tackles: 306
- Sacks: 9.0
- Tackles for Loss: 26
- QB Hits: 32
- Interceptions: 3
- Passes Defensed: 33
In 2025 alone, he posted:
- 95 total tackles
- 52 solo
- 2.5 sacks
- 6 QB hits
- 1 interception
- 14 passes defended
Not bad for a 31-year-old linebacker many once labeled as “replaceable.”
The Jack Campbell Factor
Part of what makes this rumor feel realistic is Detroit’s evolving linebacker room.
Jack Campbell didn’t just take a step forward in 2025 — he won the Butkus Award as the NFL’s top linebacker. The Lions are clearly transitioning toward Campbell as the long-term centerpiece of the defense.
That doesn’t diminish what Anzalone brings, but it does make his role more movable — especially with Detroit facing cap decisions and younger players ready for expanded snaps.
Why the Jets Are a Natural Fit
From New York’s perspective, Anzalone offers:
- A quarterback of the defense who already speaks Aaron Glenn’s system
- A proven run-stopper and communicator
- Leadership for a young Jets front seven
- Playoff experience from Detroit’s recent rise
He may not be the flashiest name in free agency, but he’s exactly the type of stabilizer playoff teams covet.
Bottom Line
Anzalone leaving Detroit wouldn’t be about decline — it would be about timing, roster evolution, and the pull of a familiar defensive mind in Aaron Glenn.
If the Jets do land him, they won’t just be getting a linebacker. They’ll be getting the same steady, high-motor, tone-setting presence that helped transform the Lions from rebuild to contender.
And if that reunion happens, don’t be surprised if Anzalone is calling the shots in another playoff defense by this time next year.
