Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes knew he might lose both of his top coordinators this past offseason. But what caught him completely off guard? Where one of them ended up.
Holmes opened up during a recent appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, revealing his reaction to former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson taking the head coaching job — not just anywhere — but with division rival Chicago Bears.
“I was thinking Chicago would’ve probably been the last destination,” Holmes said. “Or I was hoping that, probably.”
Johnson had interviewed for multiple openings, so Holmes wasn’t shocked he landed a job — just that it was with a longtime NFC North rival. He said he didn’t know Johnson had made the decision until right before it went public.
Still, Holmes had nothing but praise for his former coordinator.
“I was happy for him, man. He is a hell of a coach, and they’ve got a really good one up there. But yeah, it’s just a little like, man, why Chicago?”
With Johnson out, the Lions moved quickly, hiring John Morton — a former senior offensive assistant in Detroit and most recently Denver’s passing game coordinator — to run the offense. It’s a return home for Morton, a Michigan native and Western Michigan alum who worked with Dan Campbell’s staff in 2022.
While Morton brings his own flavor, Holmes says the offensive identity won’t be dramatically different.
“There’s going to be some new wrinkles,” he said. “But I don’t see a lot of wholesale change. Dan wants to evolve things regardless.”
Lions fans won’t have to wait long to see Ben Johnson on the opposing sideline. He and the Bears will be back in Detroit for a Week 2 matchup on September 14 at Ford Field.
Lions GM Doesn’t Hold Back – Blasts Ben Johnson For Choosing Rival Bears
