By Blessing 
Dan Campbell Sends Strong Message After Ben Johnson’s Departure: “The Players Make the Plays”
The Detroit Lions are heading into a new chapter, and head coach Dan Campbell isn’t backing down. Despite losing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to a divisional rival, Campbell is making it clear that Detroit’s offensive identity isn’t going anywhere.
Johnson, who played a key role in reshaping the Lions’ offense, recently accepted the head coaching position with the Chicago Bears—a move that stung many in Detroit, especially since he’s now joining forces with Caleb Williams, one of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league. Still, Johnson’s decision wasn’t personal; it was about growth. He saw a chance to take the next step in his career, and he took it.
Even so, that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt a little when the Lions line up against the Bears this season. Expect those matchups to be electric.
But while fans may be uneasy, Dan Campbell isn’t flinching. He’s focused, fired up, and confident in what lies ahead. Speaking at the NFL’s annual league meetings last week, Campbell addressed what the offense looks like in a post-Ben Johnson world—and his message was loud and clear.
“It doesn’t matter who’s calling the plays,” Campbell said. “It’s the players who make the plays successful.”
To Campbell, the departure of Johnson doesn’t spell trouble. It just means the team has to double down on what’s already working: the talent on the field. And Detroit has no shortage of that.
One of the most important pieces of that puzzle is quarterback Jared Goff. The Lions have leaned heavily on him, and according to Campbell, Goff has responded in a big way.
“Everything we wanted him to do in the offense, he did,” Campbell said. “And then he began to bring stuff to us, as to, ‘Hey, man, I can see this look. Let me get to this play. I know I’ve got these options in the bag.’”
Campbell continued, “He added, ‘But let me get to this, as well.’ Right? Those are the things where (it’s like), ‘OK, here we go, man. That’s beginning to show.’ I would anticipate that to take another step up.”
With Goff’s growth and leadership, along with a solid core of offensive weapons, the Lions are investing in the right people—and it shows. This offseason, Detroit has been aggressive in locking down key players with multi-year deals. That list includes Goff, running back David Montgomery, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, offensive tackle Penei Sewell, and veteran lineman Taylor Decker.
Campbell isn’t sugarcoating anything. He knows schemes matter, but he’s also quick to credit the players themselves as the engine behind everything the Lions do on the field.
“We can say, ‘Well, this is our scheme, this is what we’re running.’ No, no, no,” he emphasized. “(The players are) the ones who make it what it is. That’s our playbook, those guys.”
Looking ahead, the Lions still have work to do—especially on defense. The NFL Draft is on the horizon, and there’s a clear need for another defensive lineman to line up opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Analysts and fans alike have been speculating about who the team might target.
Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports believes Donovan Ezeiruaku out of Boston College could be a great fit. “Not impossible the Lions go after Tyler Booker or their favorite remaining interior OL, but a bookend to Aidan Hutchinson remains a priority,” Fornelli wrote in a mock draft feature published on April 4. “Ezeiruaku is a high-motor player who was very productive at Boston College, and those are traits the Lions seem to prioritize.”
No matter who the Lions bring in next, one thing is certain: Dan Campbell is steering this team forward with confidence. Ben Johnson may be gone, but the culture and grit he helped build remain—and Campbell is ready to prove it can thrive without him.