Ben Johnson is no longer with the Detroit Lions, but during Thursday’s NFL Honors show, the former offensive coordinator earned some hardware for his efforts this season.
Johnson was named the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year for guiding the Lions’ offense, which set numerous franchise and NFL marks.
In the 2024 season, the Lions led the league in points scored, ranked second in net yards (6,568), and finished with an NFL-best point differential of +222.
And the dominance under Johnson’s watch didn’t stop there.
The Lions finished second in total offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game, and he was instrumental in quarterback Jared Goff throwing a career-high 37 touchdown passes while totaling 4,629 passing yards — just shy of his personal best.
Johnson also helped maintain one of the league’s top rushing attacks, with second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs finishing with an NFL-leading 20 touchdowns. Sixteen of those came on the ground, tying him for the most rushing touchdowns this season.
Shortly after the Lions’ divisional-round exit at the hands of the Washington Commanders, Johnson left Detroit to become the Chicago Bears’ head coach. The Lions replaced him with Denver Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton.
During this weekend’s Pro Bowl Games, Goff reflected on his connection with Johnson and his departure to coach a division rival.
“(Ben’s) a hell of a coach. He’s made a ton of difference in my career,” Goff said. “I’m always going to be a big fan of his. I was joking with him — I wish he didn’t have to be in our division so I didn’t have to try and beat him twice a year.
“He’s going to do a great job. Hopefully not too good, though, with us being in the same division. But I’ll always be a fan of his, and we’ll always have a good relationship.”
Johnson arrived in Detroit two years before Dan Campbell’s hiring as head coach, initially serving as an offensive quality control coach and later as the tight ends coach under the previous regime led by general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia.
After Campbell took over in 2021, Johnson remained as the tight ends coach for one more season before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022.
From that point, he was instrumental in transforming the Lions into one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses, making him a highly sought-after head coaching candidate in recent seasons.
