It seems that Aidan Hutchinson is not too concerned about the Detroit Lions losing their top coordinators this offseason. He believes it is the players that really make the difference, not coaches like Ben Johnson and Aaron Glen.
The Lions’ rise to being one of the best teams in the NFL has been one of the league’s best stories over the last four years. In 2021, the team finished with a sad 3-13-1 record and gave Detroit fans no reason to believe the Dan Campbell era would be different than many of the other miserable coaching regimes of the past.
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However, the following year they just missed out on a playoff spot after a 9-8 finish. In 2023 they went all the way to the NFC Championship game. And this past season they had the best record in the NFC at 15-2. Head coach Dan Campbell gets a lot of credit for Detroit’s turnaround. However, many NFL pundits feel coordinators Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson were a huge part of their resurgence.
But, both won’t be back next season after becoming the new head coaches for the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively. It has many wondering if the Lions will take a step back under new coordinators in 2025. Well, during an appearance on “The Lautner’s” podcast this week, Aidan Hutchinson tried to downplay the value of both departing coaches.
- Detroit Lions record (2024): 15-2
Aidan Hutchinson downplays Detroit Lions losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glen
“I don’t care who they bring in to coach us. Obviously keeping Dan there is what we all want. But coordinators, position coaches, it doesn’t matter,” Hutchinson said. “As long as we have the right guys in the locker room and those foundation guys on offense, on defense — you can roll anyone in there to call the plays.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to be the playmakers who are making those plays on Sundays. As long as we keep our core group and keep everyone there, we’re going to stay in this window of winning.”
One would imagine the Jets and Bears are under the belief that Glenn and Johnson played a major role in Detroit’s recent success and it’s why they hired them. There have been many instances where the departure of a talented coordinator led to a decline for some very talented teams. Hutchinson may not understand that fact after just three seasons in the league.
The Lions ranked among the best offenses in the NFL over the last few seasons. While the Detroit defense was a very good group until injuries decimated them late in the season.
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