The Detroit Lions will undoubtedly be fired up for their two matchups against the Chicago Bears next season, especially with former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now coaching the Bears. But quarterback Jared Goff might have some added motivation after comments Johnson made at the NFL combine that may have unintentionally sparked a bit of a rivalry. During a recent episode of his podcast, Lions wide receiver predicted how Goff will respond to Johnson’s comments.
Ben Johnson’s Comments Fuel Debate
At the combine, Johnson spoke highly of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, praising his athleticism and ability to make plays off-schedule. He highlighted how having a dynamic athlete like Williams in the backfield is exciting.
“The out-of-structure, the off-schedule, the creation, that’s what stands out the most because that’s really the way this league’s going right now, it seems like,” Johnson said as quoted by Pride of Detroit. “As much as you want to make it pure progression, one to two to three, there’s just too much variety: the pass rush is coming down, and to have an athlete like Caleb extend the play and potentially find an explosive down the field, that’s what gets me going a little bit. I get excited thinking about that because I haven’t really been around that since I’ve been in the league. But I’ve been on the other side, and I have experienced it, and it’s demoralizing when you’re on the other side, and you’re watching that happen to your defense.”
Though Johnson didn’t directly mention Goff by name, some fans and analysts took the comments as a slight toward Goff, given that he was the quarterback Johnson worked with during their three seasons together in Detroit.
Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Take
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, on the other hand, wasn’t sure if Johnson’s remarks were a direct jab at Goff. But he does believe it could serve as additional fuel for his quarterback when Detroit faces the Bears. “It’s just going to give Jared (Goff) that much more fire when we play the Bears,” Amon-Ra said. “Am I here for it? I’m here for it.”
"It's just going to give Jared (Goff) that much more fire when we play the Bears. Am I here for it? I'm here for it."
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) March 5, 2025
Amon-Ra and Equanimeous address Ben Johnson's recent comments where many believe he was throwing shade at Jared Goff 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/n1y337UpuT
Jared Goff’s Opportunity for Redemption
Personally, I don’t think Ben Johnson was taking a shot at Jared Goff with his comments about his new quarterback, Caleb Williams. Instead, Johnson was doing what any other new head coach would do if they were asked about their quarterback.
That said, regardless of what anyone says, you can bet Goff will want to prove that he is more than capable of balling out without Johnson as his offensive coordinator.
