John Morton is done after one season in Detroit.
The Lions announced Tuesday that they have fired their offensive coordinator, hired last offseason by Dan Campbell to replace Ben Johnson. Morton looked doomed almost from the start: the Lions' offense laid an egg in their Week 1 loss to the Packers, and Campbell stripped Morton of play-calling duties after eight games.
The Lions did finish fourth in the NFL in scoring, but their offense was erratic and inefficient for most of the season, sustained by explosive plays. There also appeared to be occasional disconnects between Morton and his players, with the coach calling out execution for any offensive struggles and some of the veteran offensive linemen pointing back to the scheme.
Campbell called plays for the final nine games, but the results weren't all that different: the offense had a few explosions, a few duds and struggled to consistently run the ball behind a leaky offensive line.
Morton worked under Campbell and Johnson as an offensive assistant in 2022 and said last week that he'd be open to staying on the Lions' staff in any role: "I’m a team player, I’ll do whatever it takes, at this point in my career. Whatever Dan wants, I do." But Campbell clearly thought a separation was best.
It's not yet clear if Campbell will continue calling plays next season. He said Monday he's still working through that decision. But the firing of Morton opens the door for Campbell to hire a proven NFL play-caller -- which Morton was not. Jared Goff and the Lions' wealth of offensive weapons should make them attractive to any potential candidate.
It's the second time that Campbell has fired an offensive coordinator after just one year in Detroit, with Anthony Lynn following the same track as Morton in 2021. Morton's replacement will be Campbell's fourth offensive coordinator in six seasons as head coach of the Lions.