5 Facts About Lions OC Ben Johnson

admin | January 21, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

The Chargers acknowledged on Saturday that they have interviewed Ben Johnson for their head coaching post.

Here are five things you should know about Johnson:

1. Leading a top offense

Johnson led one of the most explosive attacks in the NFL this season.

The Lions finished the regular season in the top five in total yards, running yards, and passing yards per game, one of just two teams to accomplish that feat. They also finished seventh in offensive DVOA, scoring more than 30 points in nine of their 18 regular-season games.

These figures helped the Lions win their first NFC North title since 1993.

2. Time in Detroit

Johnson has spent two years as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, but he has been with the team since 2019.

He started as an offensive quality control coach before becoming the team’s tight ends coach for the next two seasons, collaborating closely with T.J. Hockenson.

However, when Johnson took over the offensive in 2022, the Lions took off.

As the playcaller, Detroit had 4,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in the same season for the first time in franchise history, with four players making the Pro Bowl.

They finished fifth in points per game and fourth in total offense, scoring more than 30 points in eight of their seventeen games.

“I think Ben is a rock star, man,” Dan Campbell stated. “He’s young, but he’s taken a longer, more difficult path to get where he is. He’s been around some extremely terrific coaches, including some who have coached some fairly good quarterbacks.”

3. Past NFL experience

Johnson’s NFL coaching career has spanned 12 seasons, however he has only worked with one other NFL organization except the Lions.

Johnson formerly worked in Miami from 2012 until 2019, where he held a variety of positions.

He was initially an offensive assistant before being elevated to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2013. He would hold that position until 2015, when he was forced to take over as tight ends coach in the midst of the season.

Johnson spent his final three seasons with the Dolphins working closely with the wide receivers, first as an assistant coach and then as the full-time wide receivers coach in 2018.

4. Getting his start

Johnson landed his first coaching job at the college level.

After finishing school, he worked as a graduate assistant at Boston College in 2009 and 2010.

He was then elevated to tight ends coach, where he spent a season before moving on to the NFL.

5. Walk-on at North Carolina

Johnson himself was a quarterback during his playing career.

At Reynolds High School, the Fairview, North Carolina native won all-conference accolades under center for the final two years and was named league player of the year as a senior.

He joined the North Carolina football team as a walk-on and worked with future NFL quarterback T.J. Yates before graduating in 2008.