When Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson decided to stay and not pursue NFL head coaching vacancies, it came as a surprise to many in the NFL world.
The Lions had just reached the NFC championship game (the first time the franchise had won a playoff game since 1991) and there was confidence that what head coach Dan Campbell was building would eventually give them success.
After finishing in the bottom third of the NFL in points and yards per game in 2021, the Lions were the fifth-highest scoring team in football in 2023, with 27.1 points per game. That production made Johnson one of the best coaching prospects in the league.
Despite interviewing with several teams, including the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers, as well as having a meeting scheduled with the Washington Commanders, Johnson, 36, said he simply liked “the sun.”
“I think at the end of the day, I want the sun to shine a little bit brighter. That’s really what it comes down to for me.” Johnson said Thursday. “I like the sunshine. I like what we’ve built here, starting with the ownership, the head coach and the general manager on down.
“We have a great group of guys in the locker room and I want to reap the rewards with them for a little while longer.”
Johnson reportedly told commanders he was no longer interested because team officials were on a plane to Michigan for a meeting.
Taking the next step, moving from coordinator to head coach, requires faith in several categories, such as ownership, personnel and roster. Johnson wasn’t going to accept a head coaching job just because he was available, even though there are only 32 in the league.
Additionally, Johnson wanted to ensure that if he got a job, he would have the resources available to stay on the job beyond a few seasons.
“Something that really resonates with me is, well, eight vacancies last year.” Johnson said. “What would be the upper/lower limit in three years? How many still have jobs? I’d put the upper/lower limit at four and a half. I’d say there’s a good chance five of them will be out of work.” in three years.
“When I look at it from that perspective, if I have the opportunity to go down that path, it’s about how I get to that second contract, how I prepare. The stars need to align… “I’m not willing to go the other way yet unless that I feel really good about how it’s going to play out.
In Johnson’s opinion, there is no downside to spending more time in the NFL as a coordinator. He feels that he is gaining valuable experience now and will be better prepared when he decides to pursue a head coaching position, either next offseason or beyond.
“Personally, I don’t feel like it’s hurting my chances or my abilities to be a head coach in the future, and I love what I’m doing now,” Johnson said.
