As noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions have two prominent assistant coaches, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who are expected to be in high demand for head coaching positions during the upcoming hiring cycle. However, when exactly these two coaches can begin interviewing for those roles depends on the outcome of Sunday night’s crucial game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Winning Team Gets the Head Start
If the Lions win the game and secure the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Johnson and Glenn will have the opportunity to begin virtual head coach interviews as early as Wednesday, just three days after the game. This would give both coaches a significant advantage in the hiring process, as they can begin conversations with interested teams while the other coaching candidates are still playing in the wild-card round. As the top seeds, their availability would give teams a window to evaluate them before the conclusion of the wild-card games.
Losing Team Has to Wait Longer
If the Lions lose to the Vikings and fall to the No. 5 seed, the timeline changes. In this case, Johnson and Glenn would have to wait until their wild-card game concludes before they can begin virtual interviews, which would likely delay their ability to meet with other teams. However, once that is cleared, they can begin virtual interviews three days after the wild-card game and conclude them before the divisional round of the playoffs. No in-person interviews would be allowed until after the divisional round ends on Jan. 19.
Interview Restrictions and Timeline for All Coaches
Regardless of the outcome for the Lions, all virtual interviews for assistant coaches must be completed prior to the conclusion of the divisional playoffs. In-person interviews can only begin on Jan. 20 for teams whose seasons have ended by that point, allowing Johnson, Glenn, and other top candidates to meet face-to-face with teams that are interested in their services. No second interviews can take place until Jan. 27, during the bye week for the Super Bowl teams, and all interviews must be concluded by Feb. 2.
What This Means for Johnson and Glenn
For Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, the timing of their interviews depends on whether they are on the winning or losing side of Sunday night’s pivotal game. With both coaches considered top candidates for head coaching positions, the result of the Lions-Vikings matchup could play a significant role in their chances of securing those jobs, as early access to interviews provides an edge in the highly competitive coaching carousel.
