The Detroit Lions are making another major offensive shake-up. According to reports, the team has fired offensive coordinator John Morton after just one season with the franchise.
The Lions fired offensive coordinator John Morton, per sources. pic.twitter.com/rHTq2ySc8O
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 6, 2026
Morton was hired last offseason to replace Ben Johnson, who departed for a head-coaching job. He opened the year as Detroit’s play-caller, but head coach Dan Campbell eventually took over play-calling duties midway through the season as the Lions’ offense struggled to find consistency.
Even after the in-season change, Campbell made it clear that Morton remained involved in weekly game-planning — but performance expectations were high, and the Lions ultimately decided to move in a different direction.
Campbell told reporters this week that he has not yet decided whether he will continue calling plays in 2026, leaving Detroit’s next offensive structure — and next OC hire — as one of the team’s biggest offseason storylines.
Morton previously worked with multiple NFL teams, including the Jets, Raiders, and Saints, before his short stint in Detroit.
With a roster built to contend — and ownership expecting results — the next OC hire will be critical as the Lions attempt to reboot an offense that never fully clicked this season.
