Perhaps the biggest move the Detroit Lions have made early in the offseason was securing the return of top offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Johnson, one of the most sought after candidates in the NFL’s recently completed hiring cycle, elected to come back to the Lions. Until now, he hasn’t broken his silence on why that was the case. There’s a good reason why he’s back, though.
Speaking to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com in his Twentyman in the Huddle podcast, Johnson explained why he returned. As he said, it was an easy decision when he considered the whole picture of the turnaround that he believes is brewing in Detroit.
“This is as encouraged I’ve been in my four years with the direction of the #Lions and where we’re headed.”
Ben Johnson discusses his return to Detroit on a special episode of Twentyman in the Huddle.
Catch the premiere on YouTube, or listen now wherever you get podcasts!
“It’s really simple for me. It starts with this place and these people. I’ve been here four years now. I believe in (owner) Sheila (Ford), what she’s doing. Rod Wood, Dan (Campbell), Brad (Holmes). It starts at the top and I think it’s trickled down,” Johnson told Twentyman on the show. “This is as encouraged as I’ve been in four years with the direction of the Lions and where we’re headed. There’s so many good things going on here, so many good people, coaches, players. I love the offensive staff, everyone we have on board there. I love the players. I love coming into work every day. Coach Campbell is incredible. So at the end of the day, talking with my family, it made sense. Don’t ruin a good thing.”
In the NFL, coaches can be tempted by the first big bite of the apple they get. Put Johnson in the latter category, because it’s clear he wants to take his time and build something with the Lions before simply leaving town.
Even in spite of what some may say, those jobs will always come as long as a coach trusts the product, and it’s clear that Johnson trusts Detroit’s product in a big way right now. He also trusts those in charge of making the decisions for the team.
In terms of reasons of a high-profile coach to return, this is a very exciting one for the Lions.
Johnson: Execution Key to Lions’ Improvement
Detroit’s offense under Johnson was already near the top of the NFL, placing fourth-overall for 2022. In spite of that, the coach is clearly pursuing some perfection for his group in 2023.
After a period of self-scouting the offense early this offseason, what has Johnson learned? Perhaps most exciting for the fans is his revelation that things could be so much better for the team if small details are cleaned up first.
“I think at the end of it, you’re like, ‘holy cow, how much better can we really become?’ It’s across the board,” Johnson explained to Twentyman. “It’s not just one position group, it’s running backs, if we just tweak this or we ask them to do this a little bit there. With the offensive line, this technique’s just a little bit different. It all adds up and I think the staff certainly sees it and the challenge will be getting the players back in and learning from what we put on tape last year to take the next step.”
As Johnson said, improvement for the Lions doesn’t necessarily mean the team has to do anything dramatic, but simply fine tuning things during the offseason.
“I don’t know if it’s reinventing the wheel and coming up with all these brand new plays. The secret sauce is really the teaching and executing just a little bit better than what we did a year ago,” he said.
The Lions will try to take some of those next steps with Johnson’s tutelage and keen eye in the months ahead.
Johnson’s Return Huge Plus for Lions
In terms of a positive way to start this offseason, there could be nothing better for the Lions than seeing Johnson return. Why? His offense was near the top of the league in 2022.
This past season, the Lions finished with a top four total offense, putting up 380 yards per-game. Detroit’s passing offense was ranked eighth overall, putting up 4,281 yards and 29 touchdowns to go with 251.6 yards per-game. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the leader at the spot with six touchdowns and 1,161 yards.
Detroit’s rush offense was 11th, going for 128.2 yards per-game and 2,179 total yards and 23 touchdowns. Jamaal Williams was dominant with 17 touchdowns and 1,066 yards to lead this group. Johnson seems to have a knack for getting both sides to complement each other.
Now that he is coming back, Johnson can continue to oversee the development of Jared Goff, someone that has sung his praises from the start that he has developed a quality relationship with. Johnson can also continue to help Jameson Williams gain his footing in the league.
In terms of Goff, Johnson praised his development with the team when talking to Twentyman, admitting giving him more power within the offense was a move that helped
“He’s really been steady throughout. I think it’s helped him grow as a player and as a teammate, so it’s been encouraging,” Johnson said of his quarterback.
With Johnson back, the Lions could be poised to become one of the most dangerous offenses in the league in 2023. To that end, something special could finally be getting built in Detroit.
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Ben Johnson Shares Very Exciting Motivation Behind Return to Lions