This summer, several NFL teams will hire a new head coach. One of the most prominent names to emerge in recent years is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has been credited with helping Jared Goff regain his form.
Johnson has already gotten head coaching interviews, most recently last year when Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper reportedly targeted him as a top contender before the Lions’ play-caller chose to stay loyal.
With the Lions once again leading a top-five scoring offense, Johnson appears to be a lock to get his first NFL head coaching job.
However, there are only so many openings in a world with only 32 NFL head coaches. Not to add that some of those openings appear for a cause, with a seemingly never-ending loop of owners attempting to intervene before finally finding the appropriate candidate several hires later.
In other words, just because there will be openings for head coaches does not imply they will be enticing.
That’s the scenario highlighted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. While a wealthy owner may throw Johnson a blank check, that doesn’t imply he’ll jump at the first opportunity that presents itself. We saw that last year when he returned to Detroit with a wage boost.
Is it possible that the same thing will happen again? Johnson is still only 37 years old. He has plenty of time to continue honing his trade, learning from Dan Campbell and the rest of Detroit’s coaching staff. There’s no reason to leave the Lions anytime soon, even if the circumstances aren’t ideal.
