The NFL head coaching carousel is coming to an end slowly with the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders as the only openings left. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was expected to be a finalist for both jobs. However, Johnson has decided to stick around in Detroit for at least one more year, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
‘Lions OC Ben Johnson informed the #Seahawks and #Commanders that he’s staying in Detroit, per sources. Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year. But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit.'
Johnson's name started circulating more after the Lions lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game. However, Adam Schefter sparked some questions with a report regarding Dan Quinn and Ben Johnson.
One reason why Johnson didn't get a head coaching job this time around appears to be because of his asking price, as Schefter reports.
‘Ben Johnson was not the head-coaching lock that people thought and his asking price spooked some teams, per sources.'
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was another candidate for some head coaching jobs, but there is a realistic chance that Dan Campbell will have both coordinators back in 2024 as they try to earn a Super Bowl trip.
Nonetheless, it won't be surprising to see Ben Johnson's name pop up again next offseason when head coaching jobs become open, and it is only a matter of time before he moves on to the next level.