For the last two offseasons, Dan Campbell and the Lions have been at risk of losing their top two assistants. Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are still here.
The Lions offensive and defensive coordinators have landed multiple head coaching interviews in the last two hiring cycles, and Johnson, in particular, has been in high demand. He was viewed as the leading candidate last year for the Panthers job and this year for the Commanders job. In both cases, he chose to stay in Detroit to pursue a Super Bowl with Campbell.
"The one thing I’ll say about those guys being back," Lions GM Brad Holmes said Monday, "is I think it says a lot about our organization. I think that’s a part that wasn’t really talked about as much. You’ve got two talented coordinators, (head coaching) jobs open up. They have to take those jobs, right? Well, they’ve got damn good jobs here."
In both seasons with Johnson as coordinator and play-caller, the Lions have had a top-five offense in the NFL. They were one of only two teams this season, along with the NFC champion 49ers, with a top-five offense in both passing and rushing. Johnson has also helped Jared Goff revitalize his career in Detroit after being tossed aside by Sean McVay and the Rams.
Johnson, 37, turned down the Commanders last week as they were flying to Detroit to interview him in person, which drew criticism in some corners of the NFL. Very loud and pointed criticism from Adam Schefter, never mind that the Commanders were also supposedly flying to Detroit to interview Glenn, or that Johnson would have been wasting their time.
Johnson told Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown that "my heart is in Detroit" and that he has "unfinished business" to tend to after the team's 34-31 loss to the 49ers in the NFC championship game in which Detroit scored just seven second-half points.
Defending Johnson's decision from outside attacks, Holmes said, "I know all the stuff written about Ben. Look, it's a great culture here."
"We’ve got a great head coach, great ownership, a great offense and great players on offense. It’s a great deal," said Holmes. "I’m not speaking for Ben, I don’t know his thoughts. That’s the other thing, you have to just give people respect of the unknown. You don’t know what goes through their decisions and their decision-making process. But (we're) very, very fortunate and I do think it speaks a lot for our organization.”
Glenn will also be back after drawing head coaching interviews for the fourth straight year. His defense showed marked improvement this season, namely against the run, despite returning mostly the same personnel up front. He was ostensibly one of three finalists for the Commanders job that ultimately went to Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and also interviewed this cycle with the Falcons, Chargers and Titans.
Glenn's players swear by him. The 51-year-old former Pro Bowl cornerback was voted the best coordinator in the NFL in a league-wide player survey this season. But nine different teams have turned him down as a head coach; how many of them were simply satisfying the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minorities for head coaching jobs, can be called into question.
But it's a clear boon to the Lions, who return their top two coordinators as they prepare for a season with "Super Bowl or bust" expectations.
“Continuity is everything," said Holmes. "And they’re great coaches. They’re very smart, they’re great leaders, they’re developers, they’re teachers. And they fit here. But (we're) fortunate, I’m glad that they’re back. I know we’re a better team with that continuity. But I have all the trust and faith in Dan as well."