Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson responded to a question before OTAs at the team’s headquarters in Allen Park on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is expected to remain highly selective when considering head coaching opportunities this offseason, but there is one unexpected position that could catch his attention.
In a column on Thursday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that some in the NFL believe Johnson is “interested” in the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach role. However, Johnson may prefer to work under a general manager other than Trent Baalke.
The Jaguars recently fired Doug Pederson after a 4-13 season. The team does have a 25-year-old franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, which is likely appealing to Johnson.
It surprised many that the Jaguars chose to retain Baalke after parting ways with Pederson. Baalke has earned a reputation for being hard to collaborate with. One anonymous coaching candidate even mentioned that they would not consider the Jacksonville job if Baalke stayed as GM. Johnson might feel similarly.
Currently in his second year as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, Johnson has overseen a team ranked No. 1 in points and No. 2 in yards this season, following a fifth and third-place ranking, respectively, last season. His stock seems to be at an all-time high, but there is also talk of him staying in Detroit for another year.
It appears that nearly every team with a coaching vacancy will offer Johnson an interview. He is also reportedly interested in another team with a promising young quarterback.
Leave a Reply