Lions coordinators Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn now have 9 combined interview requests

Allen Park — It's been a stunning 24 hours in the NFL as two of the league's all-time great coaches are out of the job following the dismissal of Pete Carroll in Seattle and the parting with Bill Belichick in New England. With the dissolving of those longtime, successful marriages, there are now eight head coaching vacancies.

And if it feels like Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are candidates for most of them, it's because it's actually tracking that way. As of Thursday morning, the tandem have received nine combined requests for interviews, and that's prior to Seattle and New England entering the fray for their replacements.

Johnson, after steering the Lions to a second consecutive top-five finish in scoring, leads the way with five requests. He picked up another on Thursday and has now drawn interest from the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders.

Glenn, who was recently named the top coordinator in an NFLPA survey of more than 1,600 players, is just behind Johnson with four interview requests, from the same group of teams sans the Panthers. He acknowledged on Thursday he intends to accept all four interview requests ...eventually.

"Listen, I’m flattered by the interview requests, I really am," Glenn said. "And man I do not want this to sound like coach-speak, but I try to focus on the main thing for this team, for this organization, because this (upcoming playoff game) is a big deal for us. And to be able to go out there and beat this team, which is a good team, is huge. So, I’m going to be honest with you, man, I’m really, really focused on how we’re going to play defensively against this team and then, as a whole, as an overall team. How do we make sure we complement each other and go out there and try to win this game?"

Johnson similarly acknowledged the awesome honor to draw significant consideration for head coaching opportunities, while putting that talk on the backburner.

"Honestly, I haven’t thought about it beyond anything that’s going on this week, so just leave it at that for right now," Johnson said.

The NFL adjusted interview rules this offseason, and because the Lions are in the postseason, Johnson and Glenn will be prohibited from interviewing this week. They will be able to have virtual interviews with interested teams starting three days after the Lions' wild-card game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Those interviews must be concluded before the end of the divisional round of the postseason, Sun., Jan. 21.

"Their opportunities will come," Lions coach Dan Campbell said Monday. "You can’t do anything this week. So, it’s just that, stay focused on what it is right now, and that time will come if you interview with these organizations. And, of course, I want that for them, but it’s about us right now.

"Look, both of those guys are worthy, more than worthy, to be head coach candidates," Campbell said. "I don’t care where you’re at, they are two of the best that you’re going to find. I believe that."

In-person interviews are not permitted until the week of Jan. 22, and only with coaches from teams that have been eliminated from the postseason. Second interviews, either virtual or in-person, with coaches from teams who qualify for the Super Bowl are permitted during the bye week before the championship game, Jan. 29-Feb. 4. Contract agreements or announcements are not permitted until a coach's team has been eliminated from the playoffs.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

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Rams at Lions

Super Wild Card Weekend

▶ Kickoff: 8 p.m., Sunday, Ford Field

▶ TV/radio: NBC/97.1

▶ Records: Los Angeles (10-7), Detroit (12-5)

▶ Outlook: The Lions will be playing their first home playoff game since the 1993 season.