Breaking News: OC Johnson Staying with Detroit – In a stunning turn of events, offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson is staying in the ‘Motor City’, Detroit after being linked with the Washington Commanders job vacancy.
The Lions OC informed the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders that he is running it back with Detroit, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Seattle and Washington have the two remaining head-coaching openings in this cycle. Johnson was in line to meet with both franchises for interviews this week.
The 37-year-old Lions offensive coordinator was thought of as a hot candidate and brilliant offensive mind for a head-coaching job after jumpstarting Detroit’s offense over the past two seasons. Since Johnson took over coach Dan Campbell’s offense in 2022 with Jared Goff under center, the Lions ranked top five in three major categories: fourth in points per game (26.9), first in total yards per contest (387.4) and fifth in yards per play (5.9).
Running a balanced run-pass offense, Johnson utilized the strength of his offensive line and merged it with the talents of his skill position players. Drop in creative play-calls, and Johnson’s scheme was nearly impossible for defenses to handle. The Lions had four different players with 500+ scrimmage yards in 2023, the most in the NFL, Amon-Ra St. Brown (1,539), Jahmyr Gibbs (1,261), David Montgomery (1,132), and Sam LaPorta (893), who had the most catches for a rookie tight end.
Single caller Goff, a former No. 1 overall pick, has lived up to the billing under Johnson, who helped put his quarterback in positions to thrive on the field. Since the OC took over in 2022, Goff has ranked second in the NFL in pass yards (9,013) and second in pass touchdown-interception ratio (59-19).
It marks the second season in which Johnson has turned down coveted head-coaching opportunities, saying ‘thanks, but no thanks’, to return to Detroit. If the Lions offense continues on their fast track, he will no doubt have teams at his doorstep once again in the 2025 cycle.
Keeping Johnson with the Lions is a massive advantage for Campbell, who does not have to worry about replacing one of the best play-callers in all of football.
Following Sunday’s heartbreaking 34-31 NFC Championship Game collapse, Johnson’s return breathes life into the idea that the Lions will not crash and burn as one-year wonders after their sensational 2023 campaign fell one game short of a Super Bowl appearance in Las Vegas.
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Steelers to Hire Smith as OC – Pressure is mounting on Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, even with 17 consecutive seasons without a losing record. With all that success under his belt, some fans are still calling for Tomlin’s job. Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since 2016, and more offensive struggles in 2023 made Tomlin’s search for an offensive coordinator particularly urgent, especially after dismissing Matt Canada earlier this season. Now, the Steelers have zeroed in on their man, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, former Falcons coach Arthur Smith.
Pittsburgh was emphatic about going outside the organization for their next offensive play-caller, and they landed a coach with not only play-calling experience but head coaching know how and being a leader of men, as well.
Smith was shown the door by the Falcons earlier this month after three straight 7-10 seasons as Atlanta’s head coach.
There are a number of things that make the 41 year old Smith a good fit for the Steelers.
The Steelers likely know they will need to tote the rock efficiently to win in 2024, with no clear-cut solution at quarterback unless Kenny Pickett can take a giant leap forward in his third year. The running game is Smith’s expertise.
Smith was the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator during Derrick Henry’s two most productive rushing seasons, including Henry’s 2,027-yard campaign in 2020. While Smith’s usage of the Falcons’ best weapons was widely criticized over the past three years, Atlanta finished in the top 10 in rushing yards in both 2022 and ’23.
That does not mean Smith’s Falcons offenses were a success by any stretch of the imagination. Atlanta’s rushing attack was used heavily in 2023, but it sat near the middle of the pack in efficiency despite strong run-blocking and the addition of Bijan Robinson out of the University of Texas. That might have played out differently if the Falcons had a bigger threat at quarterback, but it can be argued that Smith will not be working with a much better quarterback situation in Pittsburgh.
Smith’s work with Pickett or a veteran quarterback addition will be paramount, however, with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren both locked into the Steelers’ backfield in 2024, the biggest priority might be finding a way to run the ball consistently after an up-and-down 2023 in that department.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II, pointed out the need to not only make the playoffs but to do damage when they get there this week, telling ESPN, “We’ve had enough of this. It’s time to get some wins; it’s time to take these next steps.” That means Tomlin and Smith will enter 2024 under enormous pressure to battle it out and compete with the AFC’s elite, despite the conference’s slew of high-end quarterback talent.
Smith has five years of offensive play-calling experience between the Titans and Falcons, and he has served in a number of other roles on both sides of the ball in his coaching career.
