Dan Campbell’s Aaron Glenn Comments Send Clear Message About Kelvin Sheppard

Dan Campbell spent part of Friday looking backward, reflecting on his relationship with former Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn before Glenn returns to Ford Field as head coach of the New York Jets.

>But if you listen closely to what Campbell said about Glenn, there might also be a message about the man currently running Detroit’s defense.

>Kelvin Sheppard is under pressure after an ugly start to the 2026 season. The Lions have struggled to stop just about everything through two games, and Campbell has already faced questions about whether he remains confident in his defensive coordinator.

>His answer has been emphatic.

>And Campbell’s comments about Glenn offer some important context for understanding why.

Dan Campbell Never Lost Faith in Aaron GlennGlenn wasn’t always viewed as a future NFL head coach during his time in Detroit.

>Remember 2022?

>The Lions started that season 1-6, Detroit’s defense was getting shredded, and plenty of fans wanted Glenn gone. Campbell refused to abandon him.

>Years later, Glenn eventually helped oversee Detroit’s transformation from one of the NFL’s worst teams into a legitimate contender before landing the Jets job.

>Campbell explained Friday just how instrumental Glenn was in building the Lions’ foundation.

“AG means the world to me. He’s one of my dearest friends because I know what he’s made of. One of the greatest days of my life was him getting that job, and one of the worst days of my life was him getting that job. Because you’re losing a little piece of you. That’s what he meant to me, and to us.”

Campbell also described Glenn as his “right-hand man” during those formative days in Detroit. The two spent hours together establishing the philosophy, identity and standards that would eventually define the organization.

>That history matters now.

>Because Campbell is once again being asked to maintain confidence in a defensive coordinator while the results aren’t there.

Kelvin Sheppard Is Under the MicroscopeThere is no sugarcoating what Detroit’s defense has done through two games.

>According to the Lions’ official website, Detroit entered Week 3 ranked 31st in scoring defense at 35.5 points allowed per game, 31st in total defense at 457.5 yards per game and 31st against the pass at 310.5 yards per game.

>The Lions had also allowed an NFL-high 10 completions of at least 20 yards.

>Those aren’t numbers that can continue if Detroit expects to compete deep into January.

>Yet when Campbell was asked Monday about his confidence in Sheppard, there wasn’t much hesitation.

“Because he knows what he’s doing, man,” Campbell said.

Campbell went much further than that, explaining that he believes Sheppard understands what opposing offenses are trying to accomplish and has a strong grasp of his personnel.

“I think he’s doing a lot of the way we want to play here. And you know what? It didn’t work the other night and we didn’t coach it up good enough. And then we’ll adjust a little bit. We’ll adjust and we’ll get this thing back to where we need to get it.”

Sound familiar?

Lions Aren’t Panicking Over Kelvin SheppardSheppard isn’t ignoring the problems, either.

>Detroit used its extended break following the loss to Buffalo to conduct what Sheppard essentially described as a defensive self-scout.

>According to DetroitLions.com, coaches examined all 23 explosive plays Sheppard said the defense surrendered through its first two games. Their conclusion was that roughly 75 percent were self-inflicted.

>Sheppard’s message was equally direct.

“Let’s really look at it. Why is this stuff happening? Let’s not do any finger pointing. No, that’s for losers. Let’s find solutions. Let’s find answers and make sure we have answers for these players Monday when they come back in this building.”

That’s exactly the kind of response Campbell wants.

>It doesn’t excuse the results. It doesn’t guarantee Sheppard fixes the defense. And it certainly doesn’t mean Detroit can keep surrendering explosive plays at this rate without consequences.

>But Campbell has been here before.

Campbell’s History With Glenn Says PlentyThat’s what makes Campbell’s comments about Glenn so interesting.

>Campbell didn’t stick with Glenn because Detroit’s defense was playing well in 2022. It wasn’t.

>He stuck with Glenn because he believed in the coach, the teacher and the system behind the results.

>Now Campbell is showing similar conviction with Sheppard.

>The Lions’ head coach isn’t pretending Detroit’s defensive problems don’t exist. He’s publicly acknowledged blown assignments, communication problems, explosive plays and the need for adjustments.

>But he’s also made something else clear: two games aren’t enough to make him question whether Sheppard is capable of fixing them.

>Sunday’s matchup with Glenn and the Jets suddenly provides an interesting backdrop.

>On one sideline will stand the defensive coordinator Campbell refused to give up on when things looked their worst.

>On the other will be the defensive coordinator Campbell is now being asked to trust through his own turbulent stretch.

>Nobody knows whether Sheppard’s story will ultimately resemble Glenn’s.

>But if Campbell’s history tells us anything, it’s this:

>He’s going to give Sheppard the opportunity to find out.