HOT Breaking news in the middle of a big day of Commanders interviews: Ben Johnson has told both the Commanders and Seahawks, the two remaining teams with head coaching vacancies, that he plans to stay in Detroit for 2024.
And so it’s true: Johnson to the Commanders is not as much of a lock as expected, because it’s officially not happening, announced as the guys were discussing Eric Bieniemy landing spots, and then announced that Dave Canales is hiring Bucs WR coach WHO as his OC in Carolina…and bam, no Johnson.
“Wow – he’s staying in Detroit for everything they’re building with the Lions,” JP said.
It had been rumored that Johnson was asking for a large contract, and while his agent dismissed that, Adam Schefter reported in saying Johnson WASN’T a lock to be coming to DC that his contract demands had scared some teams…and Brian Mitchell reportedly heard the same.
“Is that the one thing nobody discussed? I got a phone call last night and that guy told me basically that all this stuff is happening because Ben is asking for too much money. I don’t know if he was telling me facts or not, but this could h it – he’s waiting to get to the place where thy give me what I want.”
And that is part of why BMitch has long said he’d be happy with whomever is hired.
“What I take from that is that if they said that’s what they want and Josh told him to hit the road, I respect that more than just signing someone because that’s what people said they wanted,” B said. “If he can stay one more year and do better, he can write his check next year – and we don’t know what the prices and parameters are, or what’s being told. What could be going on to make Ben not attractive?”
“You’d much rather not get a guy that’s not fully committed, but this is a stunner,” JP replied. “NOBODY had the dude staying.”
But it apparently gets worse, per this later Tweet from JP:
CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones also reported that the Commanders met with Dan Quinn in DC this morning then boarded a plane to Detroit to meet with Aaron Glenn and then Johnson, and Johnson told them while they were in the air that he was staying put.
Chaos, but as was said by John Keim just this morning on the Junkies, this is why you go through the full process.