DETROIT — The New York Jets and Detroit Lions are set to meet in a matchup that highlights the familiarity between their head coaches. Jets head coach Aaron Glenn and Lions head coach Dan Campbell both played at Texas A&M and were teammates with the Dallas Cowboys before coaching together on Sean Payton’s staff with the New Orleans Saints. Glenn served as the Lions' defensive coordinator from 2021 until he became head coach of the Jets in 2025.
Both teams enter this Week 3 game with a record of 1-1, having suffered losses in their previous games. The Jets experienced a fourth-quarter collapse against the Green Bay Packers, while the Lions were defeated by the Buffalo Bills.
Campbell noted the familiarity his players have with Glenn, stating, “Our players know exactly what’s coming in here because the defensive coordinator was here for [four] years. And, look what just happened last Thursday night [against Buffalo]. So, this is not going to be a trap game. This is going to be a knockout, 60-minute brawl.”
Glenn, while downplaying the emotional significance of the game, expressed respect for Campbell, mentioning that he was Campbell’s first hire in Detroit and that they spent considerable time discussing strategies to improve the Lions. “We just sat in my office and we talked football and how we were going to change this program around,” Glenn said. “And those things will always stick with me, because the things that we talked about, we actually did, and Detroit actually ended up being exactly where they are now.”
The Lions are entering the game with a strong offense led by Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, but they face concerns regarding their defense, which ranks 31st in total defense after their recent performance against the Bills.
For Glenn, this game represents an opportunity to recover from a disappointing loss against the Packers, where critical decisions led to a blown 17-7 lead and a subsequent 20-17 overtime defeat. This matchup is part of a three-game stretch against NFC North opponents, making a win against Campbell’s Lions particularly important for Glenn and the Jets.