Following the 2021 regular season, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell had to decide who his offensive coordinator would be for the 2022 season. Campbell eventually decided that Ben Johnson would be promoted, and it was eventually decided that he would also be calling the offensive plays. Well, Johnson not only called the plays for the Lions in 2022 but he is now considered to be one of the best play callers in the NFL. Because of that, Johnson is being considered as a head coaching candidate for various head coaching openings around the league.
Which NFL job is Ben Johnson favored to land?
According to NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Johnson is currently the leader to get the head coaching job with the Carolina Panthers.
“Ben Johnson has the lead in Carolina,” Jones said on Saturday.
According to a report from The Athletic, Panthers owner David Tepper is “enamored with Johnson.”
The buzz in league circles is that Tepper is enamored with Johnson, whose innovative schemes helped the Lions finish fifth in the NFL in scoring offense and total offense in his first season as offensive coordinator. Johnson’s a sharp guy — with degrees from UNC in math and computer science — so you’d have to think he’s going to nail his interview this week. The 36-year-old Johnson, who was the Lions’ tight ends coach in 2021, is an in-demand candidate. The Asheville, N.C., native has interviewed with the Texans and Colts, but Tepper proved three years ago with Matt Rhule he’s not going to be outbid.
Nation, are we really only going to get one season with Ben Johnson as the Lions’ offensive coordinator?
