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One of the biggest names in the NFL coaching carousel, former Detroit Lions coordinator Ben Johnson took his talents to the Chicago Bears. But even if Johnson didn’t join an NFC North rival, there was little chance he’d be back with the Lions in 2025.
Almost every team with a head coach opening reached out to Johnson for an interview. With that much hype, and a clear track record of success, the offensive coordinator’s run in Detroit was bound to end after the 2024 season, via Adam Schefter of ESPN.
“The idea that he could’ve gone back to Detroit is absurd,” Schefter said. “He had turned down head coaching opportunities in two previous years. You’re bypassing $10 million a year and you’re saying no again? How many times do you have to tell a team no before they stop calling? You can’t risk $30, $40, $50 million and hope the Lions are that good again next year.”
“The idea that he could’ve gone back to Detroit is nonsensical, it was never an option,” Schefter continued. “He was going to be a head coach this year, period. He decided to do it in Chicago.”
Johnson has been the Lions offensive coordinator since 2022. That year, they finished fourth in the league, averaging 380 yards per game. In 2023, Detroit was third, averaging 394.8 YPG. And in 2024, the Lions rose to second-best in the league, averaging 409.5 YPG.
That consistent track record of extreme offense success is what attracted teams to Ben Johnson in the first place. No matter if it was the Bears or any team with a vacancy, Johnson’s prowess as an offensive coordinator was too much to pass up.
He had been in head coach cycles before, famously, or infamously depending how you look at it, turning down the Washington Commanders. It seemed like only a matter of time before Johnson found his perfect landing spot.
The Lions are preparing to look much different in 2025 from a coaching standout. But after their historic 2024 campaign, Dan Campbell and company were already preparing to lose Johnson.
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