The Carolina Panthers have completed an interview with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson in the search for their next head coach. In the middle of NFL Playoff preparation, Johnson did not attend the interview in person.
This is the 11th interview the organization has conducted in its search. The Panthers have also interviewed highly-coveted talent such as Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC Dave Canales, Houston Texans OC Bobby Slowik and Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022 after spending three seasons with the Lions in multiple roles on the coaching staff. Since Johnson took over as offensive coordinator, the Lions have consistently been in the top five in both total offense and passing offense.
Currently, the Lions are averaging 334 yards per game, the eighth-most in the league. However, of the teams remaining in the playoff picture, Detroit is ranked sixth.
The 2022 campaign marked the first time in franchise history that Detroit accumulated 4,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in the same season. It also served as the second-best franchise performance in terms of total net yards, total touchdowns scored, points scored and first downs gained.
How Ben Johnson is dealing with the busy schedule
Johnson reportedly also has interviews scheduled with the Commanders, Chargers and Seahawks this weekend. Between an upcoming matchup against the Tamp Bay Bucanneers and fatherly duties, Johnson has had to squeeze in any interviews.
“Well, the truth is, it gets taken away from somewhere and so it gets taken away from my family a little bit,” Johnson said in his Thursday press conference. “It’s not the easy thing to say, but normally Fridays, get home, I can pick my daughter up from school and we’re wrestling downstairs and doing whatnot, and we’ll have to skip that this week.”
Before any coaching interviews, Johnson is focused on creating a winning game plan for the Lions.
“I know it’s still a very fluid situation and truth be told, we’ll find out more once the gameplan’s done,” Johnson said. ”That’s been told to everybody I’ve been around. Nothing’s more important than the gameplan.”
Johnson isn’t the only staffer in Detroit that is being pursued. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is also a hot name in head coaching searches. Lions head coach Dan Campbell isn’t concerned about the upcoming interviews interfering with his coordinators’ focus.
“I know this about both of them: Man, they are 100 percent team-oriented,” Campbell said. “They’re all about the team, they’re all about this plan, they’re all about those players in that room and the other coaches around them. That’s where it all starts for them.”