When Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson decided to stay and not pursue open head coaching jobs in the NFL, it came as a surprise to many in the NFL world.
The Lions had just reached the NFC Championship Game – the first time the franchise had advanced out of the opening round of the playoffs since 1991 – and there was confidence that what head coach Dan Campbell was building would ultimately yield success.
After finishing in the bottom third of the NFL in points and yards per game in 2021, the Lions were the fifth-highest scoring team in football in 2023, with 27.1 points per game. That production made Johnson one of the top coaching prospects in the league.
Despite interviews with several teams, including the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers, and despite having a meeting scheduled with the Washington Commanders, Johnson, 36, said he just loved “the sun.”
“I think when it comes down to it, I just want the sun to shine a little bit longer. That’s really what it comes down to for me,” Johnson said Thursday. I love the sun. I love what we’ve built here, starting with the ownership, the head coach and the general manager.
“We have a great group of guys in the locker room and I want to reap the benefits of that for a little bit longer.”
Johnson reportedly told commanders he was no longer interested as team officials were on a plane headed to Michigan to meet.
To take that next step, from coordinator to head coach, trust is needed in a number of categories, such as ownership, personnel and the selection. Johnson wasn’t about to take a head coaching job just because it was available, even though there are only 32 players in the league.
Additionally, Johnson wanted to ensure that if he were to get a job, he would have the resources to stay put after a few seasons.
“Something that really speaks to me is eight openings in the last year,” Johnson said. “What would you determine the over/under in three years, how many people still have a job? I would put the over/under at four and a half. I would say there is a good chance that five of them will no longer have a job .” in three years.
“Looking at it from that perspective, if I get the opportunity to go down that path, it’s about how I get that second contract, how I position myself. The stars have to align. … I’m “I’m not ready to take the other path yet unless I really feel good about how it’s going to unfold.”
According to Johnson, there is no downside to spending more time in the NFL as a coordinator. He feels he is now gaining valuable experience and will be better prepared if and when he decides to pursue a head coaching job, whether that be this offseason or beyond.
“Personally, I don’t feel like I’m hurting my chances or ability to be a head coach in the future, and I love what I’m doing now,” Johnson said.
