The New York Jets recently conducted interviews for both their head coach and general manager positions. On Thursday, the team spoke with Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, about the head coaching role, and they also interviewed Ray Farmer, an executive with the Los Angeles Rams, for the general manager vacancy.
Aaron Glenn, who previously excelled as a cornerback for the Jets, is now the fifth confirmed candidate to interview for the head coaching position. Other individuals who have met with the Jets include Mike Vrabel, Ron Rivera, Rex Ryan, and Matt Nagy. Additionally, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and the Jets’ interim head coach, Jeff Ulbrich, are anticipated to have discussions with the organization as well.
Over the last four seasons, the 52-year-old Glenn has been at the helm of the Lions’ defensive squad, elevating their performance to one of the top levels in the league. His status as a top-tier candidate has led to multiple interviews over the past two hiring cycles, with previous talks taking place with teams such as Washington, Atlanta, Tennessee, and the Los Angeles Chargers in the prior year.
Due to NFL regulations, Glenn conducted his interview with the Jets via video call, as coaches from teams enjoying a bye week during the playoffs can conduct virtual interviews. These interviews can take place between Wednesday and the end of the wild-card weekend and are restricted to a total duration of three hours.
A first-round draft selection by the Jets in 1994, Glenn played with the team for eight seasons and was honored as one of the cornerbacks on the franchise’s All-Time Four Decade team in 2003. Throughout his career, he also played for Houston, Dallas, Jacksonville, and New Orleans, amassing a total of 41 interceptions, six of which he returned for touchdowns, and earning Pro Bowl honors three times.
After retiring from a 15-year playing career, Glenn briefly served as the general manager for the Houston Stallions of the Lone Star Football League in 2012 before returning to the Jets as a personnel scout later that same year. He then worked as the assistant defensive backs coach in Cleveland from 2014 to 2015, followed by a similar role in New Orleans. Glenn spent five years with the Saints before being appointed as the Lions’ defensive coordinator in 2021.
On the other hand, Ray Farmer represents the seventh known candidate to speak with the Jets regarding the general manager role. He joins a growing list that features Kansas City assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi, Philadelphia assistant GM Alec Halaby, Jim Nagy, who is the Senior Bowl executive director, along with former general managers Thomas Dimitroff of the Atlanta Falcons and Jon Robinson of the Tennessee Titans, as well as ESPN analyst Louis Riddick.
Farmer, now in his fourth season as the Rams’ senior personnel executive, played a crucial role in constructing a roster that reached the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, culminating in a Super Bowl victory in February 2022. Previously, he spent one year in Los Angeles as a scouting consultant before taking on his current role.
A former linebacker, Farmer played three seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and held the position of general manager for the Cleveland Browns from 2014 to 2015 following a year as their assistant GM. His extensive experience also includes a seven-year tenure as the director of pro personnel for the Kansas City Chiefs and three years as a scout for the Atlanta Falcons.
