There has been recent speculation around the movements of Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. After declaring he wouldn't be pursuing a head coach position with the Washington Commanders or the Seattle Seahawks, he has decided to stick with Detroit. If you're wondering what made him stay, we have the inside scoop thanks to receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
On a recent episode of the St. Brown Brothers podcast, Amon-Ra shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Apparently, Johnson made a phone call to St. Brown on an early Tuesday morning, a call that took place before the news of Johnson's decision became public.
Once the small talk was out of the way, St. Brown asked Johnson about his plans. Johnson confessed, “He couldn’t sleep last night. He was thinking about it, and he said there’s unfinished business. He wants to stay. The guys on the team, shoot. He said me, Jared (Goff), Frank (Ragnow), Penei (Sewell), (Taylor) Decker. All the guys. His heart is in Detroit, he wants to stay."
This was around 9:30 a.m. ET—just 20 minutes before the news hit the national media. St. Brown, being the good receiver that he is, immediately texted his quarterback, "Ben just called me, he’s staying."
Johnson's reasoning is relatable. The NFC Championship might have left a bitter taste, especially after the Lions scored 24 points in the first half, and just seven in the second. Furthermore, Johnson has been vocal about his admiration for the organization and head coach Dan Campbell.
Johnson had shared his thoughts on Campbell a few weeks ago, "He’s the best leader I’ve been around,” Johnson said. “It’s really impressive what he’s been able to do. Being true to himself, demanding, results-driven... he’s created an environment here as coordinators, as position coaches, as players that we’re very comfortable and it helps us be the best that we can be at our jobs.”
At some point, we'll hear from Johnson directly. But for now, it's clear that Detroit has become a special place for him. And with the likes of St. Brown and others on the team, he plans on taking this team even further than the NFC Championship next season.
