After removing himself from the interview process for the second straight year last year, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson made it clear (before saying so) that he wasn't going to leave for just any head coaching job.
As this year's hiring cycle approached and is now here, it's clear Johnson will be selective, intentional....whatever your favorite word is to describe a concerted effort to find the right situation.
As of Wednesday morning, three teams (Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars) have put in requests to interview Johnson for their head coaching openings. He is reportedly going to interview with the Bears and Patriots, with the Jaguars seemingly not yet confirmed.
On Monday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Johnson has real interest in the Bears and Patriots' jobs.
"He is interested in those jobs", Pelissero said. "He's been intrigued in the Bears job for some time and now that the Patriots job with Drake Maye at quarterback has become available, that is certainly a possibility to monitor."
A big point on Johnson's head coaching resume is the work he's done with Jared Goff. The Lions' signal caller has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league since Johnson became offensive coordinator in 2022, and really dating back to when Johnson became passing game coordinator late in the 2021 season.
The two also have a close relationship, as Johnson has given Goff ownership of the offense and suited it what his quarterback does best.
Jared Goff gives unsurprising sentiment about Ben Johnson and head coaching interviews
Goff made his weekly appearance on 97.1 The Ticket's "Karsch and Anderson" Tuesday. Speculation around Johnson was an obvious topic, and Goff tried to seem blissfully unaware that his offensive coordinator had three interview requests come in.
"Three, wow. Alright," Goff said. "Good for him."
Asked how he would "characterize" his feelings around that (Johnson having head coaching interviews), Goff had an obvious response.
"He’s had interviews before, hasn’t he?" Goff said. "So I don't know, we’ll see. Obviously, I love Ben. He’s the best and I wish him the best in whatever he ends up doing, but he knows I’d like to have him for at least one more. We’ll see where it goes."
Watch @JaredGoff16 speak with @DougAndGator971 this morning. #Lions https://t.co/p7OnmVskDj pic.twitter.com/GfK1ANbtia
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) January 7, 2025
When talking about the Lions' offense, Goff noted the relationship he has with Johnson.
"I’m very thankful to have a coach who listens and wants to hear from me and what I have to say and my ideas, and it’s been fun to get some of those ideas in", Goff said. And certainly when they’re your own, you feel like you need to make them work. It’s fun to be working with him."
Goff possibly dropped a hint that Johnson will stay with the Lions again. Time will tell if he foreshadowed it.
