Ben Johnson was eager to take the first head coaching interviews of his life after spending the past 11 years as an NFL assistant. And while Johnson’s boss encouraged him to explore his options, the Detroit Lions‘ offensive coordinator ultimately decided he was in too good a spot to leave.
Johnson, in comments made to the team’s website, said there is a “simple” explanation for why he pulled his name out of the running for head coaching vacancies with the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans to return for a second season as Lions play caller.
“It starts with this place and these people,” Johnson said. “I’ve been here four years now and I believe in Sheila (Hamp), what she’s doing, Rod Wood. Dan (Campbell), Brad (Holmes). It starts at the top and I think it’s trickled down. This is as encouraged as I’ve been in my four years with the direction of the Lions and where we’re headed.”
The architect of the fifth-highest scoring offense in the NFL, Johnson was considered one of the top candidates in this year’s hiring cycle. He interviewed virtually with the Panthers, Texans and Colts, and was considered one of the favorites for the Carolina job when he withdrew his name from consideration.
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The Colts hired veteran NFL coach Frank Reich as head coach, while Houston (DeMeco Ryans) and Indianapolis (Shane Steichen) opted for coordinators with no previous head coaching experience.
Just 36, Johnson should be one of the most sought after candidates in next year’s hiring cycle, assuming the Lions have another strong season, when more jobs — and perhaps more appealing landing spots — should be open.
He said he gained valuable insight on what to expect from going through the process this winter.
“It was a great experience,” Johnson said. “Coach Campbell came in immediately when the requests (to interview) started coming in and he was phenomenal through the whole thing, I would start there. He very much encouraged me to start exploring it and was a great supportive character really behind the scenes for me to lean on cause he’s gone through it a few times and was really a great resource.
“So more than anything, the experience was critical. It was just finding out what types of questions were going to be asked in those meetings, getting to know some GMs, some owners. It was really a good informational time.”
The Lions went 9-8 this season to finish with their first winning record since 2017 and had one of the most dynamic offenses in the league.
They finished fourth in total yards, eighth in passing offense and scored 30 or more points eight times, tied for most in the league. Jared Goff had one of the best seasons of his career, and Johnson showed creativity in his play designs while utilizing a variety of schemes.
He said he expects the offense to make “a huge jump” in 2023, and is in the middle of self-scouting the Lions’ personnel and scheme with his offensive staff.
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“I think the most encouraging thing is where we can get to because we’ll make a huge jump here between Year 1 and Year 2 in this offense as we clean up the details, the players start to understand there’ll be less thinking and more reacting, so that’s going to be critical,” he said. “But it doesn’t get done without a great coaching staff around you, so the conversations we’re having now as a coaching staff are, call it calculus as opposed to the pre-algebra that we were doing a year ago at this time.”
The Lions have four of five starters on their offensive line under for contract for 2023, plus most of their key skill players. Leading rusher Jamaal Williams will be a free agent next month, but has said he hopes to return, receiver DJ Chark is on an expiring deal, and the Lions have a new running backs coach in Scottie Montgomery.
Johnson recalled watching a Garth Brooks concert from Ford Field before the pandemic, marveling at the atmosphere and thinking to himself, “This is what a home playoff game’s going to be like.”
In returning, he said he hopes to experience that next year.
“I kept going back to that as part of the process and there’s so many good things going on here, so many good people, coaches, players, I love the offensive staff, everyone that we have on board there,” Johnson said. “I love the players, I love coming into work every day. Coach Campbell is incredible, so end of the day, just talking with family, just it made sense. It made sense. Don’t ruin a good thing.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.