New Orleans Saints nice Reggie Bush believes Aaron Glenn is the favourite to be the group’s new coach.
The franchise is searching for a brand new chief after firing Dennis Allen halfway by means of 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 profitable not less than 11 video games in yearly between 2017 and 2020.
Nonetheless, 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 an excellent coach or not.”
The Lions’ protection has remained one of many prime models 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 sport and turned in arguably their greatest efficiency of the season after they allowed 9 factors to a Minnesota Vikings squad that had gained 9 straight video games.
Bush additionally factors in the 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 closing 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 while you lose good gamers, and so they misplaced one in every of their greatest 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 may 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 Workforce Wasn’t All About Offense
Bush, who gained a Tremendous Bowl with the Saints in the course of the 2009 season, factors in the direction of their aggressive type of protection as a motive for why they had been capable of hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Whereas many Saints followers keep 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 extremely 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 obtained to get our protection again to this, that attacking type of play and we’ve got an excellent offensive weapons.”
The previous veteran working again and Heisman Trophy winner believes Glenn’s teaching type mirrors the Saints’ type of taking part in throughout that 2009 Tremendous Bowl season. He additionally says that “good” defensive play is the “DNA” of any Tremendous Bowl group.
“ I consider A.G.’s type of protection and simply that attacking type, 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 an excellent offensive group once I obtained there, however as soon as our protection picked up, that’s after we turned a Tremendous Bowl champion group. I’ve been part of a few totally 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 profitable 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 could be acquainted with contemplating his historical past of taking part in and training within the metropolis.
“ I believe they’re positively going to want to search out somebody who won’t solely be an incredible coach, however any individual who will be capable of take within the tradition of New Orleans as a result of I believe that’s vital,” says Bush. “If you go to New Orleans, while you coach in New Orleans, you must perceive the tradition down there. It’s not nearly teaching the soccer group, however folks eat, sleep and breathe the Saints in New Orleans.”
“It’s a football-first metropolis,” Bush continues to say. “They want any individual who’s going to have the ability to lead not solely the group, however the metropolis as effectively in the way in which that Sean Payton did.”
Bush performed his first 5 seasons underneath the management of Payton. He earned a First-Workforce 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 risk explains that the following head coach ought to mirror what Payton did to assist lead the Saints again right into a profitable 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 in right here and do precisely what he did — proper teaching, proper quarterback, proper system — it will probably occur. It might work in New Orleans and we’ve confirmed that.”
