John Glenn joins the Commanders after most recently serving as the linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks (2018-23). Glenn is entering his 13th year as an NFL coach after twelve consecutive seasons with the Seahawks organization.
Before his 12-year stint with Seattle, Glenn spent two seasons on the University of Washington's coaching staff as a quality control coach (2010-11) and three seasons as a linebackers coach for North Carlina Wesleyan College (2006-08). In 2023, the Seattle linebacker core proved to be the foundation of the defensive unit with linebacker Bobby Wagner leading the NFL in tackles (183) along with recording 100 tackles for his 12th consecutive season. Wagner became the third player in NFL history to accomplish that milestone. Last season, Glenn helped linebacker Jordyn Brooks transition from a Will linebacker to middle linebacker. Brooks led the NFC and was fifth in the NFL with 161 tackles. It is also the fourth-most for a single-season in Seattle history.
In 2021, Glenn led a linebacker room that saw Brooks have a breakout season in his second year, ranking second in the NFL with a franchise-record 183 tackles. Wagner finished with 170 tackles, second most in franchise history, while being selected to his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl. Wagner was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press, the only player in franchise history with eight All-Pro nominations.
In 2020, Wagner was voted to the Pro Bowl for the seventh time and selected to the Associated Press All-Pro first team. It was Wagner's fifth consecutive first team all-pro consecutive season and sixth time in his career earning the honor. The previous year, Wagner recorded the second-most tackles in franchise history with 159 and K.J. Wright posted a career-high 132 tackles. Glenn would serve a variety of roles upon joining the Seattle staff in 2012. Beginning as a coaching and special teams assistant, he would achieve a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII. He was then promoted to the role of defensive quality control coach the following season and became a defensive assistant before assuming the role of a linebacker's assistant in 2017.
Glenn entered the league after spending two seasons (2010-11) as the University of Washington's quality control coach and three seasons as a linebackers coach for North Carolina Wesleyan College (2006-08). A native of Scranton, Pennsylvania., Glenn was a three-year letter-winner at linebacker and a starter on East Stroudsburg University's 2004 and 2005 NCAA playoff teams. He was also a two-year letter-winner in basketball in 2001-02 and 2002-03. Glenn and his wife, Leigh, have three sons, Nate, Luke, and Will.
