For the first time since becoming the Jets' head coach, Aaron Glenn will travel back to Detroit for a Week 3 battle against the Lions. Glenn spent four seasons as the Lions' defensive coordinator under Dan Campbell from 2021-24.
"A place that I coached, a place that I have fond memories, a place that we want to win," Glenn said of Detroit.
The Lions are the second of three consecutive NFC North opponents the Jets will face. Last week, the Jets lost to the Packers 20-17 in overtime, and in Week 4, they'll travel to Chicago to face the Bears.
Glenn and his former boss, Campbell, coached together for eight seasons including four in New Orleans (2016-20) under Sean Payton where Glenn served as the defensive backs coach and Campbell was head coach and tight ends coach. In 2023 and 2024, Detroit earned NFC North titles, but in 2025 (Glenn's first year with the Jets), it missed the playoffs.
"He told me if he got [a head coaching opportunity], he wanted me to be his coordinator, and I will always remember that," Glenn said Campbell. "That friendship will always last."
Detroit's offense, featuring QB Jared Goff, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, TE Sam LaPorta and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown will face the Jets defense which ranks No. 1 in the NFL and is the only unit that ranks in the top five in run and pass defense.
The Green & White are the 12th team since the merger to hold their first two opponents under 200 yards, but Sunday will be a huge test for the unit as the Lions are averaging 362 yards per game.
"This is not the same team as it was last year," Campbell said about the Jets. "They're much more talented, they play hard, they have an identity, they play a physical brand of football [and] they want to possess the ball, play smash-mouth defense and offense."
The Lions have had extra time to prepare for the Week 3 battle after losing 41-31 on the road against the Bills on Thursday Night Football. Goff was 26-of-38 for 327 yards with 4 TDs, two of which St. Brown was on the receiving end in his 142-yard performance.
Gibbs and St. Brown are the seventh pair of teammates in NFL history to each record at least 200 scrimmage yards and three TDs through the first two games of any season. They have the capability of generating explosive plays and pushing Detroit down the field quickly.
But Detroit has struggled on the other side of the ball – its defense ranks 31st in the league and has allowed the most TDs (10) through two weeks. In Week 1, the Lions narrowly beat the Saints 31-30 in overtime after having a 21-0 lead in the third quarter. Against the Bills, the defense allowed 6 TDs and only forced them to punt twice.
The Lions will be without S Avonte Maddox, who sustained a foot injury in Buffalo that requires surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Two other veteran Detroit secondary pieces, S Kerby Joseph and DB Brian Branch, won't play this week.
WRs Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell will test Detroit's secondary as they are just one of four WR duos in the league to each record 50-plus yards in Weeks 1 & 2. Against Green Bay, Mitchell had a team-leading 63 yards on 6 receptions, and Wilson scored a TD (his first of the season) in the third quarter.
"I know how that program is run and I know that we have a challenge, we have a challenge just like every week," Glenn said. "But I can sit back and hear [Campbell] right now saying certain things, but it'll be a good challenge for us, and we'll be up for it, we'll be ready."
