Following what was the conclusion of a truly disappointing 2025 NFL campaign that failed to yield a postseason berth, change was inevitable for the Detroit Lions, who are now officially in the offseason.
The first domino has fallen with that change, as the club has decided to part ways with offensive coordinator John Morton after only a single season on the job.
The news was first reported by NFL Insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, which was followed by an official confirmation by the Lions.
This move doesn’t exactly come as a surprise to most, as Morton had his play calling responsibilities taken away from him by head coach Dan Campbell in Week 9 following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles; Campbell assumed the offensive play calling duties for the remainder of the season.
However, it ultimately failed to result in a third straight trip to the postseason. Meanwhile, former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears are in fact headed to postseason competition; they’ll host the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on Saturday evening.
____________________________________________________________
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Stripped John Morton Of Play Calling Duties
Following their Week 8 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Campbell stripped Morton of his play calling duties and assumed the responsibility himself.
It appeared to pay off initially, as the Lions responded by putting 44 points on the board in a victory over the Washington Commanders. Campbell then discussed the meeting that he had with Morton, informing him of the change while also complimenting his team-first mindset.
“Look, it was honest, it was he and I, and we were good,” Campbell said of the meeting. “And like I told him, ‘Man, I need you … but I feel like this is something that I’m going to do.’
“Listen, John Morton’s all team. That’s all he cares about. He just wants to win. He wants to be a part of it. He wants to help where he can, and he was outstanding today.
“He’s a grinder, he’s a worker, and he just tries to help and give you anything you can possibly need for the game. Look, if you’re him, of course it probably doesn’t feel too good, but he’s also a pro and he understands everything, so we move on.”
____________________________________________________________
John Morton Said That He Wanted To Remain With The Lions
During his season-ending press conference, Morton said that his preference was to remain with the club.
“I’d like to be here. Yeah. I love it here. I love (coach) Dan (Campbell), I love the organization. It’s my home,” Morton said on Thursday. “All I’m thinking about is Chicago right now, so whatever happens, happens. I’ve been in this business for a while. I’m proud of the things that I’ve done. There’s a lot of things that I’ve got to improve on.
… Whatever happens, I just march on, just like I always have. That’s my attitude with everything.”
Morton, an Auburn Hills native, will now look for his next opportunity in the NFL while Campbell, Brad Holmes and the Lions continue their earlier-than-anticipated offseason work.
Detroit Lions Fire a Coach as Their First Big Offseason Decision