The Detroit Lions have been known as one of the NFL’s worst franchises for quite some time.
However, the tides are certainly turning for this Lions squad, who are just two days removed from knocking the Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs, and finished the season with a record of 9-8.
Their newfound success has put the league on notice, which has led to conversations with members of their coaching staff.
The #Panthers requested an interview with #Lions OC Ben Johnson for their head coaching job, per source.
The #Texans and #Colts put in requests for Johnson, too. A hot candidate.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 10, 2023
Under the tutelage of Ben Johnson, the Lions’ offense averaged 26.6 points per game, ending the season with the fifth-best mark in the league.
This was their best offensive season since 2010 when they averaged 29.5 points per game.
Although the Lions certainly have a fantastic grouping of offensive weapons, it’s clear that Johnson’s offensive mind was the behind-the-scenes director that helped make all of their success possible.
Johnson is just 36 years old but has been a coach in the NFL since 2012, starting his career with the Miami Dolphins, and making his way to the Lions.
As a member of the Lions staff, Johnson has been their offensive quality control coach, along with the tight ends coach before transferring to his current role as the offensive coordinator.
Given his success this season, it’s no wonder that Johnson has received three interview requests up to this point, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he was contacted about additional interviews as well.
Will Dan Campbell want to keep the band together?
Or, will Johnson see the allure of a head coaching job, and head elsewhere?
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