New Orleans Saints nice Reggie Bush believes Aaron Glenn is the staff’s best choice to change into the staff’s new coach.
The staff is in search of a brand new chief after firing Dennis Allen halfway by way of the 2024 season.
The Saints have struggled to seek out stability with Drew Brees retiring after the 2020 season and Sean Payton leaving after the 2021 season.
In reality, New Orleans has didn’t make the playoffs in every of the previous 4 seasons, though they gained at the least 11 video games yearly from 2017 to 2020.
Nevertheless, the Saints could also be contemplating Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as their new coach. He truly served because the defensive backs coach in New Orleans (2016-2020).
“I believe so,” President Bush mentioned in a one-on-one interview. On behalf of our partnership with Tostitos If Glenn is taken into account a prime candidate to be the Saints’ head coach. “You possibly can see how a lot he is modified the protection this yr. Even with all of the accidents, they’re nonetheless enjoying at a excessive stage. Whether or not you are an amazing coach or not, that is good for a coach. I believe that is the last word proof.”
The Lions’ protection continues to be one of many prime models within the league, despite the fact that it has been hampered by accidents. Detroit misplaced Professional Bowl move rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending damage in Week 6 and beginning cornerback Carlton Davis in Week 15. Detroit ranks seventh within the NFL in factors allowed per recreation and had maybe its greatest efficiency of the season. He allowed 9 factors to the Minnesota Vikings, who had gained 9 straight video games.
Busch additionally identified how Glenn was a star cornerback within the NFL, which he mentioned will assist him acquire the respect of gamers within the locker room. Glenn, 52, was a three-time Professional Bowl defensive again throughout his 15-year enjoying profession, performed his remaining season with the Saints in 2008, and was truly teammates with Bush.
“The actual teaching begins once you lose a great participant, they usually misplaced one among their greatest gamers at defensive finish, Aidan Hutchinson,” Busch mentioned. “I believe he is proven himself to be a man who’s succesful and instructions respect within the locker room. They know he is a man who not solely coaches, but additionally performs.”
Bush says Saints’ Tremendous Bowl staff wasn’t nearly offense
Bush, who gained the Tremendous Bowl with the Saints within the 2009 season, cited the Saints’ aggressive defensive model as the rationale the Saints have been in a position to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Whereas many Saints followers keep in mind Payton, Brees, and Bush, the defensive unit pressured loads of turnovers, rating second in that class, and likewise ranked third in interceptions.
“We performed actually good protection,” Bush mentioned of the 2009 Saints. “I do not know what number of turnovers we had, however our protection was scoring touchdowns each week. I believe what AG brings is precisely what New Orleans wants. We’ve got to get our protection again to this offensive model of play and we have now good offensive weapons.”
The previous veteran operating again and Heisman Trophy winner believes Glenn’s teaching model mirrors the Saints’ model of play through the 2009 Tremendous Bowl season. He additionally mentioned that “good” defensive play is within the “DNA” of a Tremendous Bowl staff.
“I consider AG’s defensive model and precisely that offensive model is what I had after I was in New Orleans, and that is what helped us win the Tremendous Bowl,” mentioned Bush, who performed for the Saints from 2006 to 2010. ” he mentioned. We have been all the time a great offensive staff after I bought there, however as soon as the protection picked up, it grew to become a Tremendous Bowl champion staff. I have been on a number of totally different championship groups. And that has all the time been the DNA of a championship staff. ”
The subsequent coach should embrace the New Orleans tradition.
The Saints have been clearly spoiled by Payton’s tenure, who at the moment coaches the Denver Broncos. Payton introduced a successful tradition to New Orleans by no means earlier than seen, leading to 9 playoff appearances, seven district championships and 9 double-digit successful seasons throughout his tenure.
Previous to Payton’s arrival, the Saints had made simply 5 playoff appearances and one playoff win of their first 39 seasons.
Bush has emphasised the significance of the subsequent head coach understanding New Orleans’ tradition, one thing Glenn is probably going aware of given his historical past enjoying and training in New Orleans.
“I undoubtedly assume we have to discover somebody who is just not solely going to be an amazing coach, but additionally absorbing the tradition of New Orleans, as a result of I believe that’s necessary,” Busch mentioned. “If you go to New Orleans, once you coach in New Orleans, you need to perceive the tradition of New Orleans. It isn’t nearly teaching a soccer staff, the folks of New Orleans are identical to the Saints. It eats, sleeps, and breathes.”
“It is a football-first metropolis,” Bush continued. “They want somebody like Sean Payton to guide not solely the staff however the metropolis as effectively.”
Bush performed his first 5 seasons beneath Payton. He earned first-team All-Professional honors as a returner through the 2008 season, beginning 42 of 60 video games with New Orleans. The previous versatile menace explains that the subsequent head coach ought to mirror what Payton did to guide the Saints into an period of successful.
“I assumed Sean did an amazing job in that and set the bar excessive,” Busch says. “I additionally consider that when you have a participant who can come right here and do precisely what he did, which is the fitting teaching, the fitting quarterback, the fitting system, it may occur. Sure, we have now confirmed it.”