After two weeks, the Atlanta Falcons' coaching search remains wide-open with several candidates earning second interviews.
The latest coaches to get follow-up interviews both hail from the Detroit Lions, as the Falcons have requested to speak with both offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn once more, per ESPN's Michael Rothstein. Unlike the previous interviews which were conducted virtually, these would be in-person meetings taking place next week.
Johnson, 37, is one of the hottest coaching candidates of this cycle, with six separate teams interviewing him. His Lions' offense was one of the best in the league this season, as Detroit finished fifth in points for and third in yards for. The league has had a fascination with young, offensive-minded coaches recently, and Johnson could be the next coach to fit that trend.
The Falcons just interviewed Johnson on Sunday night following his team's Divisional Round win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With so many teams in the mix for Johnson's services, it remains to be seen where he'll actually end up. At the very least, though, the Falcons are doing their due diligence with him.
Meanwhile, Glenn, 51, is a bit older than his counterpart, but still an impressive first-time coaching candidate nonetheless. The Lions' defense wasn't as strong as their offense this season, but Glenn's unit has steadily improved over his three years at the helm.
Glenn, whose first interview with the Falcons came on Friday, is a hot candidate in his own right, having interviewed with four separate teams. Other teams he's interviewed with include the Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans, the latter of which made their hire of Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan official on Monday night.
The Falcons are certainly exhausting all options in their coaching search, now up to eight candidates with second interviews.
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