Analyst questions if Ben Johnson will regret returning to the Lions
To the surprise of many, Ben Johnson withdrew himself from consideration for potential head coaching jobs, electing to return as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions in 2023.
Though he got a sizeable raise to do so, his decision was met by many in the national media with a bit of perplexity, including NBC Sports NFL analyst Mike Florio, who on a recent episode of “Pro Football Talk” questioned if Johnson would regret not striking while the iron is hot.
“The world changes quickly in the NFL; every season is different,” Florio said. “When the window is open, you better try to get through it because that window may be slammed shut a year from now and it may be your only chance. …The bottom line is Ben Johnson’s ship may come in. We’ll find out if and when it does whether he can be a successful head coach, but now he’s tapping out. My concern would be there’s no guarantee you’re going to be able to tap back in.”
The 2022 season was Johnson’s first as offensive coordinator after spending the previous three seasons as passing game coordinator, tight ends coach, and offensive quality control coach on Matt Patricia’s staff.
Under Johnson’s guidance, Detroit had the fourth-best offense (380 yards per game) and fifth-best scoring offense (26.6 points per game) in the NFL this year.
Johnson interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts before canceling an interview with the Carolina Panthers one week ago. He is believed to have received a raise of around $1.5 to 2 million per season.
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