It only took one season at the helm of the Detroit Lions' offense for Ben Johnson to garner some hype as a head-coaching candidate, but after his second season in 2023, it was thought to be a foregone conclusion that he would land a gig.
However, that shockingly turned out not to be the case, as Johnson decided to stay in the Motor City for at least another year and will now go into his third campaign as the team's offensive coordinator.
So, what was behind Johnson staying in Detroit and not moving on?
For the first time since it was decided he would remain with the Lions, Johnson touched on the subject on Thursday, saying a big reason behind his staying was because he wanted to keep winning in Detroit.
“So 2021 and early part of 2022, he had made this analogy to the team that we were sailing down the ocean and, at that moment, we were in the Arctic,” Johnson said. “We were hitting the icebergs, had the storms going on and those were dark days. But he had the foresight, he had the vision of where we were going and where were heading. He assured us ‘Guys, I see where we’re going. The results haven’t been there yet, but the Caribbean’s on the horizon. It’s coming up.’ I’m sitting on the plane thinking back to that. The story of my career has been living in that Arctic for a lot of it. The second time I’ve been to the playoffs, the first time I’d experienced winning games in the playoffs. I think when it boils down to it, I wanted the sunshine a little bit longer. I like what we’ve built here.”
Johnson also stated that he wants the right situation for himself when he does become a head coach. Apparently, that situation did not present itself this time around.
“Listen, there’s a lot of things that go into it, a lot of reasons and dynamics that play a part,” Johnson said. “Something that really resonates with me is, OK, 8 openings this past year? What would you set the over-under, in three years, how many still have jobs? I’d put the over-under at 4.5, I would say there’s a good chance that five of them are out of jobs in three years. So when I look at it from that perceptive, if I get the opportunity to go down that road, it’s about, how do I get to that second contract? How do I set myself up? The stars need to align. I’m not going to do it just to do it. I love what I’m doing right now -- love it. I love where I’m at, my family loves where we’re at, love the people that we’re doing it with. So I’m not willing to go down the other path yet, unless I feel really good about how it’s going to unfold.”
“It’s ownership, it’s staff, it’s my vision of how I can make it work with how I am,” Johnson added. “Like, I love playcalling. So if I took a head-coaching job, I’d want to be a play-calling head coach. Well, there’s a limit to how much time there is during the week, so what’s it going to look like Monday through Sunday in that regard? Just want to make sure everything is nailed down. And listen, there’s an adjustment period for every person that takes that job. They’re learning on the fly. But I think the more that you have set and feel good about, that gives you the best chance. I was actually talking with someone the other day about this, was, man, the longer you’re in the coordinator chair, it does nothing but help you and prepare you more for the next step if it ever comes down the pike. So personally, I don’t feel like I’m hurting my opportunities or my abilities to be a head coach in the future. And I love what I’m doing right now.”
One of the storylines to come out of Johnson's candidacy was the fact that he made the decision to stay with the Lions just as the Washington Commanders were on a plane making their way to interview him for a second time.
Johnson received no shortage of bad press after, something he was no stranger to after reports suggested he made hefty contract demands. He discussed that situation, also, saying many of the rumors swirling were false.
“There was, in my opinion, some false narratives going on out there, and it started toward the end of last year before I made the decision to pull out,” Johnson said. “That comes with the territory. I’m good with that. That’s part of life in the NFL, so doesn’t affect me. I do feel for the people around me. I hate that my family would ever read stuff that’s not necessarily the case, but they handled it really, really well. So, support staff’s there from that regard.
“I think I sleep well at night knowing what happened, how it happened, why it happened. I’m good there. And the people that are closest to me, they know who I am and what I’m about. So, it’s all good.”
At the end of the day, none of that really matters. If Johnson continues to have the kind of success he's had over the past two seasons, he'll be beloved in Detroit and teams will continue to pursue him for openings.
