At the conclusion of the 2023 NFL season, Lions fans were ready to accept that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson likely would be leaving Motor City. With a plethora of openings around the league, Johnson was a hot commodity given what he was able to accomplish with the Detroit offense.
The Seahawks were one of the clubs in on Johnson. With Pete Carrol transitioning from head coach to an advisor role, it opened up a spot at the top of the coaching staff in Seattle.
While Johnson was tied to Seattle, he ultimately turned them down. But it wasn't just the Seahawks. The Lions OC ultimately did not end up going anywhere, staying put on Dan Campbell's staff to run it back with the group for the 2024 season.
For a coach that had such high interest around the league, how did he end up staying in Detroit? The Sporting News explains why Johnson turned down the head coaching gig with the Seahawks and other clubs.
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Why did Ben Johnson turn down Seahawks?
Johnson's decision to stay in Detroit was a simple one, in the end. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported at the time that the 37-year-old had a Super Bowl on his mind before taking over an organization as the head coach.
The Seahawks, as well as the Commanders, were in the mix to land Johnson. However, when assessing all of his options, he came to the conclusion that his best chance at winning a championship was with the Lions, even if that meant he was staying in his role as offensive coordinator.
#Lions OC Ben Johnson informed the #Seahawks and #Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2024
Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit. pic.twitter.com/lPg2Po33sx
The Washington Post's Nicki Jhabvala offered a similar assessment at the time.
Ben Johnson informed the Commanders and Seahawks today. The reason, I’m told: He wants to win a Super Bowl. https://t.co/DftoKs5iQQ
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 30, 2024
Running it back with the Lions was an enticing option. The Lions made it all the way to the NFC Championship, holding a 24-7 lead over the 49ers at halftime before blowing the game in the second half. With a majority of the roster coming back, Detroit was once again viewed as a favorite to emerge from the NFC.
Johnson opted for another crack at completing the rebuild that he, Campbell & Co. have orchestrated for the last few seasons. The core of Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery all returned in 2024, giving Johnson the chance to work with the same high-octane offense that ranked third in yards per game and fifth in points per game in 2023.
Another tidbit to the equation was Johnson's asking price. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that teams were "spooked" away by the offensive mastermind's salary desire, which was reported to be around $15 million per season. However, Johnson's agent denied that number.
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Ben Johnson was not the head-coaching lock that people thought and his asking price spooked some teams, per sources. https://t.co/cFl2FPBtcY
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2024
At 37 years old, Johnson has plenty of time to take over as a head coach in the NFL. When the 2024 season concludes, he once again will be in the mix for a head coaching gig.
However, that stop likely won't be with the Seahawks. After missing out on Johnson, the team elected to bring in former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who is the youngest head coach currently in the NFL.
