The New England Patriots could be on the verge of hiring their next coach after completing an interview with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday, the fourth candidate to be brought in as part of the search to fill the vacancy created by the firing of Jerod Mayo.

Friday's meeting with the New England Patriots was the first interview of the hiring cycle for Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn denied the New England Patriots’ interview request for their head coaching job, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. It was reported on Wednesday that Glenn was sought after for an interview by the Patriots, who have a long history of prioritizing defensive-minded head coaches.