Lions OC Ben Johnson reportedly set to interview with Patriots this week (original) (raw)

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UPDATE: ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that Ben Johnson's interview with the Patriots will take place Friday morning.

With the Patriots announcing the firing of head coach Jerod Mayo shortly after their win on Sunday at Gillette Stadium against Buffalo, the rumors surrounding who will be their next head coach have continued to trickle out.

On Monday morning, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer posted on X.com that the Patriots have requested an interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. On Tuesday, he added that the Lions have given Johnson and fellow coordinator Aaron Glenn "a window from Thursday afternoon through Saturday to do head coaching interviews."

Tom Pelissero of NFL Media also reported on the Patriots’ request to the Lions, adding that Johnson will interview with both New England and Chicago during this week’s “bye,” as the league does not allow teams to make head coach hirings until after the divisional round.

Johnson has been with the Lions since 2019, starting out as a quality control coach. From there, he was promoted to tight ends coach, then passing game coordinator, then offensive coordinator for the 2022 season.

His first year as the team’s OC coincided with Detroit having its first winning season since 2017, and saw quarterback Jared Goff make a real leap as a player for the first time since his Super Bowl season with Sean McVay and the Rams in 2018. They finished that season 9-8, but were everyone’s trendy “new-team-in-the-playoffs-pick” heading into the 2023 season.

They lived up to that billing, as the Lions went 12-5 on their way to a loss in the NFC Championship Game. On top of that, Johnson helped bring the Lions offense up yet another level, with Detroit finishing third in total offense, second in passing, fifth in rushing, and fifth in scoring.

After a heavy flirtation with the Washington Commanders for their head coaching vacancy, Johnson ultimately opted to stay in Detroit as OC for the 2024. And at the moment, that’s looking like a good decision.

Detroit finished the regular season 15-2, winning the NFC North and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They’ll be the lone team in their conference with a first round bye, and will play the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round at Ford Field. This also secures them homefield advantage for the NFC Championship Game, should they advance past round two.

Ben Johnson

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 15: Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions looks on in the fourth quarter of a game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field on December 15, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo credit Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

Much of Detroit’s supreme team success in 2024 came at the hands of their high-powered offense, as an astonishing 13 players on the defensive side of the ball are listed on IR heading into the postseason. Without Johnson’s innovation on the offensive side of the football, this team would be toast.

But with Johnson, they’re avocado toast:

- Lead the NFL in touchdowns with 70 on the season - five more than the next closest offense
- First in scoring, averaging 33.2 points per game
- Second in total offense (409.5 yards per game)
- Second in passing offense (263.2 passing yards per game)
- Third in red zone offense, with a red zone touchdown rate of 69.4%
- Sixth in rushing offense (146.4 rushing yards per game)

Let’s juxtapose that with the Patriots offense in 2024, shall we?

- In a three-way tie with the Raiders and Giants for second-fewest touchdowns scored this season, only getting in the end zone 30 times in 17 games (40 less (!) than the Lions)
- 30th in scoring, averaging a mere 17 points per game
- 30th in red zone offense, with a red zone touchdown rate of 46.8%
- 31st in total offense (291.9 yards per game)
- 32nd in passing offense (176.2 passing yards per game)
- 13th in rushing offense, thanks in large-part to Drake Maye’s escapability (115.8 rushing yards per game)

The specter of adding an offensive mind to this organization like Johnson’s has fans excited, but Johnson is considered by many around the NFL as the top head coaching candidate available. It’s fair to assume that Johnson’s agent is receiving calls from every team with an opening.

Jared Goff and Ben Johnson

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 12: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions talks with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Inglewood, California. Photo credit Harry How/Getty Images

But one thing the Patriots have that many of these other teams with openings do not:

Drake Maye.

Is the prospect of working with an exciting young quarterback enough to entice the 38-year-old to a situation that feels barren outside of the QB room?

Stay locked in to WEEI and WEEI.com for all the latest on the Patriots’ search for their next head coach.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

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