In a couple short months, Ben Johnson has gone from hailed to hated in Detroit. He hasn't helped his own standing with a couple sly remarks toward Jared Goff and the Lions since taking over as head coach of the Bears.
At the combine in February, Johnson said he was excited "to have an athlete like Caleb" Williams at quarterback with his "out-of-structure, off-schedule" playmaking ability "because I haven’t really been around that since I’ve been in the league."
Asked Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings about this remark, Johnson clarified, "It was not a shot at Jared. I’ve talked to Jared about it. Sometimes your comments get skewed a little bit. That was not my intent. He certainly understands that. It was more directed toward Caleb and what he brings to the table."
Later at the combine, Johnson took a playful jab at Goff when discussing a trick play the Lions ran against the Bears last season that called for Penei Sewell to roll out and throw a touchdown.
"He threw a dime every single time in practice. We probably repped that for three weeks and it was a dime. It was better than some other people -- Jared Goff -- it was pretty darn good throwing on the move," Johnson said with a grin.
Those comments along with the Lions' sloppy performance on offense in their season-ending loss to the Commanders, which featured five turnovers and some questionable play-calling, have turned Johnson into something of a pariah in Detroit.
It's quite the role reversal for a coach who was celebrated for most of the last three seasons as the coordinator of one of the best offenses in the NFL.
"Here’s what I’ll say," Johnson said. "I have gone back and forth. My family still lives in Detroit right now and everybody I’ve seen face to face has been super supportive and respectful, so I certainly appreciate that and so does my family."