Latest Ben Johnson Intel Muddies Future With Lions

Most Lions fans have assumed that rising star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would leave Detroit in the offseason to pursue a head coaching opportunity, though a new report suggests it's a legitimate possibility that Johnson waits another year before branching off.

According to Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN, it's likely that Johnson will take one of the available jobs though staying put is still an option. Johnson could've left after last year but stuck around. If the ideal fit isn't available, who's to say Johnson won't wait another season?

The Lions have a fantastic thing going. Despite several coaches emerging as options elsewhere, perhaps it'll wind up best for all involved to keep the band together in 2025.

New Ben Johnson Reports Emerge Around Job Search

Johnson already has four virtual interviews scheduled while the Lions enjoy their first-round bye in the playoffs. That said, none of the available options come with the same stability that Dan Campbell's group in Detroit does, which could play a large role in these negotiations.

"Some people I talked to in the league believe Johnson could return to Detroit. And it doesn't seem like a leverage play," Fowler writes. "That's where he has been the past two cycles, and that could be the case again if his ideal head coaching destination isn't there."

It's obvious that Johnson makes calculated decisions. Each of the franchises he's interviewing with has its own laundry list of concerns, from poor rosters to questionable quarterback play to meddling ownership. Johnson deserves to be a head coach, yet he's smart enough to realize that a bad situation could tank his future prospects.

At the same time, Johnson may have enough confidence in himself to outweigh those issues.

"Either way, I expect Johnson will take a head coaching job this cycle," Graziano retorts. "He has been squirrely about it the past couple of years, but people I talk to close to the situation believe he's in a different frame of mind and expect him to embrace the opportunity if it's offered, which I believe it will be."

In the meantime, the Lions hold the best odds to win the Super Bowl (+320) at FanDuel Sportsbook. Should they get the job done, Johnson's status as the most highly-coveted head coaching candidate will all but be cemented.

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