Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is touted to become a head coach in the NFL. He will be pursued by multiple teams in the next coaching cycle.
Johnson came close to getting a job before the 2024 season but chose to continue with the Lions. As per various reports, he is among the highest-paid coordinators in the league, and he fully deserves it.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently talked about Johnson’s future in the league, and what he said might come as a surprise to many.
Adam Schefter Provides Clarity on Ben Johnson’s Future
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” Schefter mentioned that Johnson would not accept a head coaching job just for the sake of it. He believes the Lions OC will only leave Detroit if a well-run organization pursues him.
“Ben Johnson is going to be very, very selective about the place that he chooses to go if he decides to even leave Detroit. He is going to be very careful. I don’t know that he desires to leave that division to head in the division to go to a place that you’re talking about the dysfunction that has existed within that organization. We’ll see. That’s up to him. But I believe he is going to be very selective in how he approaches how to do his business.”
Schefter also hinted that Johnson will be very selective when it comes to which teams he will interview for in the head coaching cycle.
The Chicago Bears have been widely tipped to pursue Johnson after the season, but given the history of the instability inside the franchise, the Lions OC could pass their offer.
Here’s how the fans on social media reacted to this news:
Good. Bears fans can shut up now. https://t.co/cvAx9QrqMK
— Andy (@ACI62593) November 7, 2024
“Ben wouldn’t leave to go to Washington last season so there’s no way he’d leave to go to the Bears,” said one fan.
“Why would the best NFL HC candidate want to go to that poverty franchise in Chicago?,” added another fan.
and bears fans think he going there whgen they have a bottom 5 ownership in the league
— nate (@lionswinone3) November 7, 2024
“Painful for Bears fans but understandable,” wrote one fan.
“He’s not leaving Detroit for Chicago of all places,” added another fan.
Yeah it never made a ton of sense to me for him to want the Chicago job
“If Ben Johnson is interviewing with anybody this year, he’s interviewing with the intent that he’s going to take that job” will be a very important quote to remember come January https://t.co/gsdZgXALCO
— Nico (@elitetakes_) November 7, 2024
Not only the Bears but teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets, all of whom have not been run well so far, could be absent from Johnson’s wishlist.
The Dallas Cowboys remain an intriguing option, but it doesn’t seem like the Lions OC will be willing to take on that extra pressure from an actively engaged owner like Jerry Jones in his first job as a head coach in the NFL.
Best HC Landing Spots for Johnson
The best landing spot for Johnson might not be available as of now. However, when ranking the top head coaching candidates in 2025, Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson had Johnson at the top of the list.
“Ben Johnson can become an NFL head coach the moment he decides he wants to. Multiple clubs — including the Panthers and Commanders, for starters — have reportedly wanted to hire Detroit’s OC over the past few offseasons. Instead, Johnson has turned down opportunities, preferring to stick and build with the Lions.
How much longer he’s willing to wait remains unclear. Johnson might not be able to reject the chance to work with a quarterback like Dak Prescott in Dallas or Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville, especially if Detroit advances to or wins the Super Bowl this season.”
Another option from the ones listed above included the Philadelphia Eagles. But unless the season ends poorly for them, Philadelphia seems unlikely to part ways with their current head coach.
As a result, if Johnson does not want to become the next Bears head coach, he might want to wait a little longer. Teams like the Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and the Cincinnati Bengals have good young quarterbacks with whom Johnson would like to work — but as of now, none of these teams are looking to make a change.
The Lions OC can win a Super Bowl by staying in Detroit, and since he’s getting paid well, there is no reason for Johnson to rush and accept a job that will make his résumé look bad.