New Orleans Saints nice Reggie Bush believes Aaron Glenn is the favourite to be the workforce’s new coach.
The franchise is on the lookout for a brand new chief after firing Dennis Allen halfway via 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.
Actually, New Orleans has did not make it to the playoffs in every of the previous 4 seasons after successful a minimum of 11 video games in yearly between 2017 and 2020.
Nevertheless, the Saints could also be 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 yr. Even with the accidents that they’ve had, they’re nonetheless enjoying at a excessive degree. I believe it’s the last word testomony for a coach, whether or not you’re a great 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 cross rusher Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6 to a season-ending harm and misplaced beginning cornerback Carlton Davis in Week 15. Detroit ranks seventh within the NFL in factors allowed per sport and turned in arguably their finest 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 the direction of how Glenn was a star cornerback within the NFL, which is able to 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 enjoying profession and performed his last season with the Saints in the course of the 2008 marketing campaign, the place he was really teammates with Bush.
“You discover the true teaching begins whenever you lose good gamers, they usually misplaced one in every of their finest gamers on the defensive finish in Aidan Hutchinson,” says Bush. “I believe he confirmed that he’s succesful and in addition he’s a man that can command respect within the locker room as effectively. These guys will know that he’s not solely a coach, however he’s a man who performed too.”
Bush Says Saints’ Tremendous Bowl Crew Wasn’t All About Offense
Bush, who received a Tremendous Bowl with the Saints in the course of the 2009 season, factors in the direction of their aggressive fashion of protection as a motive for why they had been capable of hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Whereas many Saints followers bear in mind Payton, Brees and Bush, the defensive unit compelled plenty 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 strictly what New Orleans wants. We acquired to get our protection again to this, that attacking fashion of play and now we have a great offensive weapons.”
The previous veteran working again and Heisman Trophy winner believes Glenn’s teaching fashion mirrors the Saints’ fashion of enjoying throughout that 2009 Tremendous Bowl season. He additionally says that “good” defensive play is the “DNA” of any Tremendous Bowl workforce.
“ I consider A.G.’s fashion of protection and simply that attacking fashion, that’s what we had after 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 all the time a great offensive workforce after I acquired there, however as soon as our protection picked up, that’s after we grew to become a Tremendous Bowl champion workforce. I’ve been part of a few completely different championship groups. And that’s all the time 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 subsequent head coach understanding the tradition of New Orleans, one thing that Glenn could be aware of contemplating his historical past of enjoying and training within the metropolis.
“ I believe they’re positively going to want to search out somebody who is not going to solely be an incredible coach, however anyone who will be capable to take within the tradition of New Orleans as a result of I believe that’s vital,” says Bush. “If you go to New Orleans, whenever you coach in New Orleans, it is advisable to perceive the tradition down there. It’s not nearly teaching the soccer workforce, however individuals eat, sleep and breathe the Saints in New Orleans.”
“It’s a football-first metropolis,” Bush continues to say. “They want anyone who’s going to have the ability to lead not solely the workforce, however the metropolis as effectively in the way in which that Sean Payton did.”
Bush performed his first 5 seasons below the management of Payton. He earned a First-Crew All-Professional honor in the course of the 2008 season as a returner and began 42 of his 60 video games in New Orleans. The previous versatile menace explains that the subsequent head coach ought to mirror what Payton did to assist lead the Saints again right into a successful period.
“I assumed Sean did an incredible job at that, setting the bar excessive,” says Bush. “I additionally consider that it’s somebody that may are available right here and do precisely what he did — proper teaching, proper quarterback, proper system — it might probably occur. It might work in New Orleans and we’ve confirmed that.”
