With the firing of head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco, the Las Vegas Raiders are yet again looking for new leadership.
And according to NFL Insider Vincent Bonsignore, not only is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson getting a ton of buzz around the league, but momentum is starting to build with him becoming the next head coach of the Raiders.
Ben Johnson Can Make Improvements to the Raiders
A lot of momentum building for Ben Johnson & @Raiders.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) January 15, 2025
It’s not surprising to see the Raiders move on from Pierce after one full season. The team rallied and showed heart while Pierce was the interim head coach in 2023, but that energy died out in 2024. After recording a 10-game losing streak, it’s hard to keep your job with a streak like that, no matter who you are.
Pierce and the Raiders went 4-13 this past season and struggled on offense throughout the year, an area where Las Vegas can improve with the hiring of Johnson. They need it, too, after ranking 27th in the NFL in yards per game (303.2), 28th in yards per play, and 29th in points per play.
Johnson is just 38 years old and earning plenty of attention when it comes to head coaching gigs, thanks to his success as Detroit’s OC. He’s been involved with the Lions’ offense since 2019, taking over full reigns as the coordinator in 2022. Their stock has soared this season, but it’s been a progression, something that points to a true impact as opposed to a single strong season.
Detroit’s Offensive Touchdown Rate by Season Under Johnson
- 2022: 29.5% TD rate
- 2023: 30.5% TD rate
- 2024: 37.4% TD rate
The running game is as good as it gets, allowing quarterback Jared Goff to flourish (career highs in completion percentage, yards per pass, and touchdowns). However, reckless play-calling can occasionally inflate offensive numbers.
Not in Detroit. Not under Johnson.
The Lions don’t need to put the ball in harm’s way to access their elite offensive ceiling. Their two lowest turnover rate seasons this millennium (2022 and 2024) have come since Johnson took over, giving them a no-risk, all-reward profile.
In the four seasons before Johnson assumed OC duties, Detroit ranked 14th in turnover rate, 23rd in points per drive, and 24th in punt percentage. In Goff’s last two seasons with the Rams, Los Angeles ranked 23rd in scoring percentage and 24th in turnover rate. And it wasn’t immediately better when he first joined Detroit in 2021 (22nd in scoring percentage and turnover rate).
We live in an offensive-driven league, and Johnson’s résumé speaks for itself. At a young age, he’s proven capable of elevating the pieces around him in a significant way, something every team in the NFL finds appealing.