Amon-Ra St. Brown thought he owed Ben Johnson an apology. Johnson wanted another performance.
That was the outcome of a training camp exchange recalled by Lions receivers coach Scottie Montgomery in a Detroit Free Press profile of St. Brown. With Detroit’s offense going through a sluggish practice, the receiver challenged his teammates, then directed some choice words toward his offensive coordinator.
The story dates to Johnson’s time in Detroit, where he served as offensive coordinator from 2022 through 2024. It offers a revealing look at the trust between a coach and a player willing to demand more from everyone around him.
St. Brown worried he had gone too far. Johnson understood what he was trying to accomplish.
Amon-Ra St. Brown’s message reached Ben Johnson
According to Montgomery, the offense needed a spark during a training camp scrimmage. St. Brown provided one with a catch, then made sure everyone heard him.
“He got up off the ground, spiked the ball, started yelling at all his teammates, ‘Wake the [bleep] up. Wake the [bleep] up,’” Montgomery told the Detroit Free Press. “And then he yelled at [then Lions offensive coordinator] Ben [Johnson], ‘You, too, Ben. You, too. Give me the [bleeping] ball.’”
Montgomery’s account continued:
“And immediately, he’s apologizing, ‘Oh, my God, Scottie, I blacked out. What did I say? I got to apologize to Ben.’ So he calls, apologizes to Ben. That’s what he does. But Ben’s like, ‘Man, do it again. Do it again. I need that.’”
Johnson welcomed the urgency. St. Brown had recognized a practice slipping away and taken responsibility for changing its direction.
Why St. Brown’s demands carry weight
The exchange works because of what surrounds it. St. Brown was willing to hold the offense accountable, then hold himself accountable for how he delivered the message.
Montgomery also explained in the profile how consistently that intensity shows up:
“It’s this intangible that you don’t know, which is the dog that he is,” Montgomery said. “He is a pit bull. And a lot of people say pit bull, they think it’s just on the field. But the pit bull mentality that I’m talking about is not only his physicality on the field, but he attacks the playbook the same way, he attacks the fundamental drills the same way. When have you seen a vet with back-to-back to back thousands of yards of seasons come out and execute in individual the way he does? If you watch our individual, he looks like a rookie trying to make the team. And I think that’s why he is who he is.”
A relationship that could handle the challenge
That combination of preparation and candor helps explain St. Brown’s voice in Detroit’s offense. He has continued to speak directly about its performance, including his concerns about the unit’s rhythm during the 2025 season.
His relationship with Johnson also had room for competitive back-and-forth. After Johnson took the Chicago job, St. Brown described their playful exchange about facing each other twice a year.
The practice story adds something more substantial to that relationship. Johnson understood the work behind St. Brown’s words. When his receiver demanded a better practice, the coach saw leadership worth encouraging.
