By Blessing 
John Morton Ready to Amp Up Lions’ Explosive Playmaking
Detroit Lions’ new offensive coordinator, John Morton, has a clear vision for the team’s attack:
- Protect the football by making smart choices.
- Create explosive plays.
- Excel on third downs.
Fortunately for Morton, he’s inheriting an offense that already checks all three boxes. Last season, the Lions committed just 15 turnovers, the sixth-fewest in the NFL. They also led the league in plays of 10+ yards and ranked third in 50+ yard plays. On third downs, they converted at a 47.6% rate—fourth best in the league.
But while all three principles matter, it’s the second one—explosive plays—that really excites Morton.
Prioritizing Big Plays
“You have to have explosive plays,” Morton said during his first press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine. “You have to be able to do that. I think there’s a certain amount of explosive plays you need in a game. An explosive, I always think seven or eight plays explosively (per game) is really good.”
To refine their approach, the Lions’ offensive staff plans to establish an internal scale under head coach Dan Campbell’s guidance. Morton typically defines an explosive play as a pass gaining 16–17 yards or more or a run picking up at least 10–12 yards.
Detroit already thrives in this area. In 2024, they led the NFL with 18 touchdowns of 20+ yards. Their dynamic rushing duo also played a big role—Jahmyr Gibbs had 41 runs of 10+ yards, the most among all NFL running backs, with 16.4% of his carries going for at least 10 yards. His backfield partner, David Montgomery, contributed 17 such runs.
Morton recognizes the unique blend of toughness and big-play potential in Detroit’s rushing attack, which forces opposing defenses to stay on high alert. That philosophy will remain central as he collaborates with run game coordinator and offensive line coach Hank Fraley to shape their 2025 ground attack.
A Passing Game Guru
Morton isn’t new to designing high-powered offenses. His resume includes stints as a passing game coordinator with New Orleans and Denver and a season as the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator in 2017. He’s widely respected for his ability to maximize passing efficiency.
“He’s super passionate and he works his tail off,” said Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who worked with Morton last season. “He’s great with film study and ideas. He’s one of those guys that will bring you red zone, third down, a lot of information.”
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell also credits Morton for playing a key role in shaping the Lions’ current offensive system when he was a senior offensive assistant in 2022.
“He was one of the pivotal pieces of helping us put this together, this offense version for (Jared) Goff,” Campbell explained. “So that was big, but then also, there were so many things that during the game plan and weeks of game plan, the ideas that he had in the pass game going into weeks, getting ready for opponents was big for us. A lot of things we used, man.”
Deep Threats Galore
The Lions have no shortage of weapons to execute Morton’s vision. Fourth-year wide receiver Jameson Williams has already established himself as one of the NFL’s premier deep threats. His five touchdowns of 50+ yards tied for the league lead in 2024, and his 17.3 yards per reception average ranked second overall. He recorded 17 receptions of 20+ yards—perfectly aligning with Morton’s definition of an explosive play.
Detroit’s passing attack isn’t limited to Williams. All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is coming off a stellar season with 115 catches, 1,263 yards, and 12 touchdowns. He moved the chains 72 times—second-most in the NFL—and recorded 14 catches of 20+ yards.
Tight end Sam LaPorta has also emerged as a valuable downfield weapon. He averaged 12.1 yards per catch, ranking fifth among tight ends, and hauled in 11 receptions of 20+ yards. Seven of those receptions traveled more than 20 yards in the air, showcasing his ability to stretch the field.
And then there’s Gibbs. He’s not just a threat in the run game—he also caught six passes of 20+ yards last season, proving his versatility as an offensive weapon.
Goff’s Ability to Go Deep
Of course, a deep passing game is only as good as the quarterback throwing the ball, and Jared Goff has proven he’s more than capable of pushing the ball downfield. He ranked second in the NFL last season with 61 completions of 20+ yards and posted a 103.0 passer rating on throws traveling more than 21 yards in the air.
Morton believes that Goff’s ability to connect on deep shots will be a huge asset as the team studies what makes the most explosive teams in the league so dangerous.
“I think Jared (Goff) is really good at that aspect,” Morton said. “When we sit down and look at this and study other teams, like what are the most explosive teams in the league? Let’s look at that. Why?”
The Future of Detroit’s Offense
Detroit’s offense was a juggernaut in 2024, leading the league in total points, touchdowns, and point differential. With many of the same key players returning, Morton has the opportunity to put his stamp on an already explosive unit.
If everything goes according to plan, big plays won’t just be a goal for the Lions in 2025—they’ll be the expectation.