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🏈 Good morning to all, but especially to …
AARON GLENN AND THE NEW YORK JETS
The Jets filled their coaching vacancy, and it’s an excellent choice. Aaron Glenn is headed to the Big Apple, tasked with reviving one of 2024’s most disappointing teams.
- Glenn, the Lions‘ defensive coordinator from 2021-24, oversaw Detroit’s surge from one of the league’s worst defenses early in his tenure to one of its best in 2024. Detroit ranked in the top 10 in points per game allowed, takeaways and third- and fourth-down conversion rate allowed despite significant injuries across the board.
- Glenn, 52, was a Jets’ first-round pick in 1994, and across eight years with the franchise, he reeled in 24 interceptions and he was an All-Pro twice. He also played for the Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints and, after his playing career, returned to football as a scout with the Jets.
- Glenn was one of the most sought-after candidates this cycle, taking several interviews. The Lions have now lost both of their coordinators — the Bears hired Ben Johnson as coach — and defensive line coach Terrell Williams took the Patriots‘ defensive coordinator job.
- Several NFL legends endorsed the Jets’ choice.
Beyond the numbers and the history with the team and the endorsements, Glenn just gets it. The Lions never made excuses amid a deluge of injuries. The Lions have arguably the best culture in the league. Glenn was a big part of that. The Jets badly need some of that culture. This was the right hire, Garrett Podell writes, and now Glenn has big calls to make on Aaron Rodgers and the direction of the roster as a whole.
Here’s our updated coaching tracker.
👍 Honorable mentions
🏀 And not such a good morning for …
JIMMY BUTLER
The Heat suspended Jimmy Butler two games after the disgruntled star missed the team’s flight to Milwaukee for tonight’s game against the Bucks. It’s the second time the team has suspended Butler this month; he was suspended seven games for “multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team” as he publicly pushed for a trade.
And it might not be looking too good on the trade front, either. The Suns are seen as the frontrunner after they acquired three first-round picks from the Jazz, but as Sam Quinn details, Phoenix still needs a lot of help to make it happen, potentially from Milwaukee taking on Bradley Beal. In fact, in all three of Sam’s mock trades, Beal goes to the Bucks.
- Quinn: “Beal’s contract has to be in the trade because the Suns, as a second-apron team, can neither aggregate salaries nor take in more money than they send out in any trade. Now, with three picks instead of one, they can divide and conquer. … Is there a Beal taker yet? It’s a complicated question not only because of his disappointing production and supermax contract, but because of his no-trade clause.”
But Beal hasn’t agreed to drop his no-trade clause (though he hasn’t ruled it out) and the Bucks reportedly have no interest in acquiring him.
And what if the Suns aren’t going after Butler? There’s a report that Phoenix made the deal with Utah without a specific follow-up move in mind.
So, to recap: Butler got suspended, the team that seemed like the most likely destination for him might not actually be focused on acquiring him, and that team may have trouble facilitating a trade to acquire him anyway. Not great!
👎 Not so honorable mentions
🏈 NFC, AFC Championship previews: Key players, how all four teams got here
Championship Sunday features three familiar faces — the Chiefs, Eagles and Bills — and some new kids on the block (the Commanders) and plenty of intrigue. Is this the year Buffalo finally breaks through after years of heartache against Kansas City? Can Washington keep its magic alive? Is Jalen Hurts even healthy?
Bryan DeArdo ranked the five most important players in the AFC Championship, and a player the Bills passed on in the draft sneaks in at No. 5.
- DeArdo: “5. Xavier Worthy — Andy Reid seemingly always finds a way to get Worthy the ball, whether that’s in the backfield or down the field. Expect Reid to do so again Sunday night.”
Despite his record-setting speed, Worthy hasn’t had a ton of success deep. Could that change this weekend? Patrick Mahomes threw for just 177 yards last weekend against the Texans. I can’t imagine Kansas City can win with that against Buffalo’s high-powered offense.
Here’s more:
🏈 Jaguars fire GM Trent Baalke shortly after committing to him
The Jaguars fired GM Trent Baalke on Wednesday, just over two weeks after firing coach Doug Pederson and committing to Baalke.
What happened? Well, the Jaguars still don’t have a coach. Monday, Johnson chose Chicago, which spoke to his belief in Caleb Williams but also spoke to his unwillingness to work with Baalke, Will Brinson wrote. Wednesday, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen took himself out of the running for Jacksonville’s opening, opting to stay in Tampa Bay. Both would have been strong options to pair with Trevor Lawrence in my humble opinion.
So now, only after being passed over by not one but two top candidates, the Jaguars are wiping the slate clean at coach and GM. You could say “finally.” You could say “What took so long?” You should say both.
⚽ UEFA Champions League: Manchester City blows two-goal lead, in danger of not advancing
In a season full of lows, Manchester City may have just hit a new one. The Citizens blew a 2-0 second-half lead in a 4-2 loss to PSG.
We’d be remiss to not credit PSG, also on uneasy footing entering this one. But Joao Neves and Ousmane Dembele were magnificent, Jonathan Johnson writes, and now PSG seems a strong bet to make the top 24 after jumping to 22nd in the standings.
We can’t say the same about City, which sits 25th and is very much in danger of not advancing. The Citizens need a win over Club Brugge next week, no guarantee considering Brugge is ahead of City in the standings and also potentially needing a result — and the fact that City just has not been good at all.
Elsewhere, Arsenal got a much-needed win over Dinamo Zagreb.
📺 What we’re watching Thursday
🏀 NBA Paris Games: Spurs vs. Pacers, 2 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 No. 8 Maryland at No. 12 Ohio State (W), 6 p.m. on BTN
🏀 Heat at Bucks, 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏀 No. 17 Tennessee at No. 7 Texas (W), 8 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Maryland at No. 17 Illinois (M), 9 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Celtics at Lakers, 10 p.m. on TNT/truTV
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Author: Zachary Pereles
January 23, 2025 | 10:00 am
