Two days after a gut-wrenching loss, a big win for the Lions: Ben Johnson is staying in Detroit.
The coordinator of a top-five offense each of the past two seasons and one of the hottest head-coaching candidates in the NFL who interviewed with several teams over the last two weeks and who was scheduled for a second interview Tuesday with the Commanders, Johnson has informed the Lions he's staying right where he is.
After the Lions fell a win short of the Super Bowl in a 34-31 loss to the 49ers in the NFC title game, Johnson wants to take another crack at winning it all with Dan Campbell in Detroit. He returned for the same reason last season when he was the leading candidate for the Panthers head coaching vacancy, citing unfinished business (and a Garth Brooks concert at Ford Field). He got a taste of what he was craving in two home playoff wins this month. Now he wants it all.
Campbell elevated Johnson to offensive coordinator two seasons ago, and the 37-year-old has emerged as one of the brightest minds in the game. Most notably, Johnson has played a big role in helping Jared Goff reassert himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL after being ditched by Sean McVay and the Rams.
The Lions were one of only two teams this season, along with the 49ers, who had a top-five offense in both passing and rushing. They ranked third overall in yards and fifth in points. They had two running backs with 1,000 scrimmage yards in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs and a quarterback who threw for the second most yards and fourth most touchdowns in the NFL. To say nothing of all their receiving weapons, including first-team All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown.
With Johnson back in command, the Lions will look to run it back in 2024 -- and win two more games at the end.