After experiencing the first winning season in the Motor City since 2017, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has informed the team that he’ll return for the 2023 season.
Johnson had received serious interest for multiple head-coaching vacancies after the Lions’ offense ranked fifth in the league in points scored (26.6 per game) during his first full season as its coordinator.
He had interviewed for the top jobs with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts, both teams previously announced, and he was scheduled to meet with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday in Charlotte.
Johnson, 36, opted to stay in Detroit because he believes the Lions are on the cusp of building something special, and he didn’t want to leave one year into the job.
Prior to being named Detroit’s offensive coordinator, Johnson spent three seasons in the Lions organization as the tight ends coach and offensive quality control coach.