The Washington Commanders are moving forward with Dan Quinn as their new head coach and are naturally embracing him as one of the people entrusted to lead the franchise out of the doldrums and back into the playoffs. Though, the process to getting him to the nation's capital was definitely not a smooth one.
One could even say his chances for getting the job were “up in the air.” Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was a top candidate for the position until he withdrew his name from consideration. The exact time and way he reportedly chose to make that decision might result in some lingering tension between him and the Commanders.
Executives from the organization were on a flight headed to Detroit, Michigan to discuss the head coach role with Johnson when they were apparently informed of his desire to stay with the Lions. “I get a feeling he still thinks he needs time,” a high-ranking exec of another team told The Athletic's Ben Standig and Dianna Russini. “Who knows? But to break (the decision) while they were in the air is a poor choice.”
How will NFL look at Lions' Ben Johnson going forward?
Johnson broke out as the golden boy of the 2024 coaching carousel after playing a significant role in revamping the Lions' offense over the last two years. Washington faces incredible uncertainty in its quarterback room but is essentially guaranteed to select a quarterback in April's draft. The 37-year-old was a practical choice to help mold the potential face of the franchise.
But he is not ready to leave Detroit. Another deep postseason run, or that long, long-awaited Super Bowl appearance, could have him in the running for more appealing jobs in 2025. However, rebuffing the Commanders while they are en route to meet him might negatively affect how Johnson is perceived around the NFL.
“Outrageous. Simply outrageous,” a league source said. “That’s not how you conduct business. It is how you ruin your reputation.” Josh McDaniels infamously reneged on his verbal commitment to the Indianapolis Colts in 2018 but still eventually got another head coaching opportunity with the Las Vegas Raiders years later.
Ben Johnson did not pledge his loyalty to the Commanders, so who's to say he can't retain the luster that has been emanating from his headset all offseason? Hopefully, this additional year as an offensive coordinator will give him time to brush up on his communication skills.
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