New Orleans Saints nice Reggie Bush believes Aaron Glenn is the favourite to be the staff’s new coach.
The franchise is searching for a brand new chief after firing Dennis Allen halfway by the 2024 season.
The Saints have struggled to search out stability following Drew Brees’ retirement after the 2020 season and Sean Payton’s departure after the 2021 season.
In truth, New Orleans has did not make it to the playoffs in every of the previous 4 seasons after successful at the least 11 video games in yearly between 2017 and 2020.
Nevertheless, the Saints could also be taking a look at their new coach in Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who really has a historical past in New Orleans as their defensive backs coach (2016-2020).
”I believe so,” says Bush in a one-on-one interview on behalf of his partnership with Tostitos if Glenn is taken into account the favourite to be the Saints’ head coach. “You’re seeing how a lot he’s modified this protection this 12 months. Even with the accidents that they’ve had, they’re nonetheless taking part in at a excessive stage. I believe it’s the last word testomony for a coach, whether or not you’re coach or not.”
The Lions’ protection has remained one of many high items within the league regardless of being decimated by accidents. Detroit misplaced Professional Bowl move rusher Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6 to a season-ending damage and misplaced beginning cornerback Carlton Davis in Week 15. Detroit ranks seventh within the NFL in factors allowed per recreation and turned in arguably their greatest efficiency of the season after they allowed 9 factors to a Minnesota Vikings squad that had received 9 straight video games.
Bush additionally factors in direction of how Glenn was a star cornerback within the NFL, which can assist him earn the respect of the gamers within the locker room. The 52-year-old Glenn was a three-time Professional Bowl defensive again throughout his 15-year taking part in profession and performed his remaining season with the Saints through the 2008 marketing campaign, the place he was really teammates with Bush.
“You discover the actual teaching begins whenever you lose good gamers, and so they misplaced one in all their greatest gamers on the defensive finish in Aidan Hutchinson,” says Bush. “I believe he confirmed that he’s succesful and likewise he’s a man that may command respect within the locker room as properly. These guys will know that he’s not solely a coach, however he’s a man who performed too.”
Bush Says Saints’ Tremendous Bowl Staff Wasn’t All About Offense
Bush, who received a Tremendous Bowl with the Saints through the 2009 season, factors in direction of their aggressive model of protection as a cause for why they had been in a position to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Whereas many Saints followers bear in mind Payton, Brees and Bush, the defensive unit compelled quite a lot of turnovers, rating second within the class whereas additionally rating third in interceptions.
“We had a very good protection,” says Bush of the 2009 Saints. “I don’t know what number of turnovers, however our protection was scoring touchdowns like each week. I believe what A.G. brings to the desk is precisely what New Orleans wants. We bought to get our protection again to this, that attacking model of play and we now have offensive weapons.”
The previous veteran working again and Heisman Trophy winner believes Glenn’s teaching model mirrors the Saints’ model of taking part in throughout that 2009 Tremendous Bowl season. He additionally says that “good” defensive play is the “DNA” of any Tremendous Bowl staff.
“ I imagine A.G.’s model of protection and simply that attacking model, that’s what we had once I was in New Orleans,” says Bush who performed for the Saints from 2006 till 2010. “That’s what helped us to win the Tremendous Bowl. We had been at all times offensive staff once I bought there, however as soon as our protection picked up, that’s once we turned a Tremendous Bowl champion staff. I’ve been part of a few completely different championship groups. And that’s at all times been the DNA of championship groups.”
Subsequent Coach Should Embrace New Orleans Tradition
The Saints had been clearly spoiled by the tenure of Payton, who now coaches the Denver Broncos. Payton introduced a successful tradition that had by no means been seen earlier than in New Orleans, leading to 9 playoff appearances, seven division titles and 9 double-digit win seasons throughout his tenure there.
Previous to Payton’s arrival, the Saints had simply 5 playoff appearances and one playoff win throughout their first 39 seasons of existence.
Bush stresses the significance of the following head coach understanding the tradition of New Orleans, one thing that Glenn can be aware of contemplating his historical past of taking part in and training within the metropolis.
“ I believe they’re undoubtedly going to want to search out somebody who won’t solely be an awesome coach, however any person who will be capable to take within the tradition of New Orleans as a result of I believe that’s necessary,” says Bush. “Once you go to New Orleans, whenever you coach in New Orleans, it’s worthwhile to perceive the tradition down there. It’s not nearly teaching the soccer staff, however folks eat, sleep and breathe the Saints in New Orleans.”
“It’s a football-first metropolis,” Bush continues to say. “They want any person who’s going to have the ability to lead not solely the staff, however the metropolis as properly in the best way that Sean Payton did.”
Bush performed his first 5 seasons below the management of Payton. He earned a First-Staff All-Professional honor through the 2008 season as a returner and began 42 of his 60 video games in New Orleans. The previous versatile risk explains that the following head coach ought to mirror what Payton did to assist lead the Saints again right into a successful period.
“I assumed Sean did an awesome job at that, setting the bar excessive,” says Bush. “I additionally imagine that it’s somebody that may are available in right here and do precisely what he did — proper teaching, proper quarterback, proper system — it might probably occur. It could possibly work in New Orleans and we’ve confirmed that.”
