After moving on from Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons are searching far and wide for their next head coach. Watching the Detroit Lions' playoff run has given the Falcons some ideas.
Atlanta has requested second in-person interviews with both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, via Michael Rothstein of ESPN. The Falcons can't officially conduct those interviews as the Lions compete for the NFC Championship.
But once available, Arthur Blank and company seem to have both Lions coordinators atop their list. While New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick has gotten plenty of buzz in Atlanta, both Johnson and Glenn have more than merited a long look for the job.
Johnson has been one of the most ballyhooed candidate in this offseason's coaching carousel. It's no surprise why, as Detroit entered the postseason with the third-best offense in the NFL, averaging 394.8 yards per game. They excelled in both the pass (258.9 YPG) and run game (135.9 YPG), ranking second and fifth in the league respectively.
The Lions haven't been known for their defense in their ascent to the top of the league. They ranked 19th in the league, allowing 336.1 YPG. However, it's a stark improvement after Detroit's defense finished dead-last in 2022, allowing 392.4 YPG. Glenn has helped develop Aidan Hutchinson into one of the more explosive defensive ends in the league.
Everyone in Detroit is focused on nothing but the San Francisco 49ers and advancing to the Super Bowl. But whenever the Lions' run ends, both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are drawing interest from numerous teams around the league, including the Falcons.
It isn't hard to draw eyes when you help lead the Lions to one of the greatest seasons in franchise history. The Falcons have certainly taken notice.