Jaguars Head Coach Search: Pros and Cons to Ben Johnson's Candidacy

The Jacksonville Jaguars find themselves in a familiar spot in 2025: looking for a new head coach.

Jaguars owner Shad Khan has gone through five head coaches in 13 years, with each of Mike Mularkey, Gus Bradley, Doug Marrone, Urban Meyer, and Doug Pederson all coming up short in the process.

With the Jaguars search for their next coach now up and running, we are going to take a look at what each candidate brings to the table, their backgrounds and what potential drawbacks could be to their candidacy.

First up ... Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Background

• Boston College (2009-2010): Graduate assistant

• Boston College (2011): Tight ends coach

• Miami Dolphins (2012): Offensive assistant

• Miami Dolphins (2013-2015): Assistant quarterbacks coach

• Miami Dolphins (2016-2017): Assistant wide receivers coach

• Miami Dolphins (2018): Wide receivers coach

• Detroit Lions (2019): Offensive quality control coach

• Detroit Lions (2020-2021): Tight ends coach

• Detroit Lions (2021): Passing game coordinator

• Detroit Lions (2022-present): Offensive coordinator

A walk-on quarterback at UNC who served as a backup behind T.J. Yates, Johnson graduated in 2008 with degrees in mathematics and computer science. The South Carolina native then got his first coaching job with Boston College.

After several seasons in the college ranks, Johnson got his first NFL job with the Miami Dolphins, where his pathes first crossed with eventual Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

When Adam Gase was hired in 2016, Johnson was retained and stayed on the staff through Gase's tenure. Johnson was then hired to Detroit by Matt Patrica, eventually once again being retained when Campbell was made Lions head coach.

Pros

Where do we begin?

Since taking over as the Lions' full-time coordinator in 2022, Johnson has led the Lions offensive to arguably the greatest highs in franchise history. He has had a talented group to work with, but he has also done enough to support the quarterback position that even a non-dynamic quarterback like Jared Goff can put up video game-level numbers.

Johnson has done everything that a coach can do to make life easier on his quarterback. Whether it is the highest commitment to the running game in the entire NFL or Johnson's high usuage of screens, RPOs and play-action, he is currently overseeing the most quarterback-friendly offense in the NFL.

Johnson has been able to display an ability to adapt to the strengths of the roster, maximizing radically different talents at both running back and wide receiver. In terms of ensuring productive matchups are found at all three levels of the field, there might not be a better coordinator in the entire NFL.

Cons

There aren't many holes to poke in Johnson's experience. He has coached the quarterback, wide receiver and tight end positions, has played quarterback at the college level, and has now been one of the top offensive play-callers in the NFL for the last three seasons in a row.

If there are any potential flaws to find in Johnson's candidacy, it may be the simple fact that it is unknown exactly how Johnson will perform when asked to lead an entire locker room. Johnson has been well-liked and respected by Detroit's offensive players since he was hired, but Johnson will never be mistook for the fiery type.

There is also the question of what Johnson's offense would look like without one of the best offensive lines in football. The Jaguars have an average line that excels in pass protection and struggles in the running game, which is the opposite state of the Lions' offense.

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