Caleb Harris
After the Detroit Lions had their most successful season in decades in 2023, it seemed inevitable that the organization would lose one of its key assets, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, this offseason. The 38-year-old was among the league’s top head coaching candidates entering this latest hiring cycle thanks to the work he’s been able to do with the Lions offense over the last few years, and it looked like he’d have his pick of the litter of jobs. .
Despite talking to the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, Johnson elected to leave the race for those jobs and will remain with the Lions as their OC through 2024.
“Ultimately, I wanted the sun a little more,” Johnson told reporters of the Lions’ OTAs, referencing his desire to continue building with Detroit. “That’s really what matters to me. I like the sun. I like what we’ve built here, starting with the ownership, the head coach, the GM on down. We have a great group of guys in the locker room and I want to reap the rewards with them. a little more.”
In addition to wanting to help lead the Lions to the top, Johnson was candid about the realities of becoming the head coach at NFL and the short lifespan that most have.
“Something that really resonates with me is… Okay, eight vacancies last year. What would define over/under in three years? How many still have jobs?” he asked. “Heck, I’d put the over/under at 4.5. I’d say there’s a good chance five of them will be unemployed within three years.
“When I look at it from that perspective, if I have the opportunity to go down this path, the question is how do I get to that second contract. How do I prepare? The stars need to align. I’m not going to do it just to do it. I love what I’m doing it now. I love where I am. My family loves where we are. I’m not willing to go down another path yet unless I feel really good about how it’s going to turn out.”
So what would be the ideal circumstance for Johnson to make the leap?
“It’s the ownership, it’s the team, it’s my vision of how I can make it all work with who I know I am,” he said. “Part of me, I love making plays. If I took the head coaching job, I would want to be a head coach. Well, there’s a limit to how much time there is during a week, so what’s going to happen? It seems like Monday through Sunday in that regard. ?You just want to make sure everything is squared away.Listen, there’s an adjustment period for every person who takes this job.
Johnson also added that the longer he stays in the coordinator role, he believes it will help him whenever he transitions into becoming a head coach, and it wouldn’t be surprising if that happens as soon as next offseason if the right situation comes along.
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