Dan Campbell: Detroit Lions' Ben Johnson 'more than qualified' to be head coach
INDIANAPOLIS - Dan Campbell was as surprised as anyone the Detroit Lions were able to keep the most important pieces of their coaching staff intact.
"This is the second year in a row that I didn’t think I was going to be able to have them back," Campbell said Tuesday at the NFL combine. "Between (Ben Johnson) and A.G. (Aaron Glenn) and some of the other coaches, and it’s worked out. So we’re fortunate. And I just think you’re so much further along with what you do and you’ve evolved so much over a three-year period when you’re all together."
Johnson, entering his third season as Lions offensive coordinator, interviewed with five teams virtually and was considered a frontrunner for the Washington Commanders job before declining an in-person interview with the team.
Glenn, entering his fourth season as Lions defensive coordinator, met with four teams virtually and the Commanders in-person but did not land a job in this hiring cycle.
Both rank among the longest-tenured coordinators in the NFL, giving the Lions enviable continuity heading into the 2024 season.
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"There’s so many things that you just, you can skip over these steps that have already been done for a three-year period and you’re just so much more efficient, so much better," Campbell said. "And it happens with the players, too. They know what we expect and so now you’re out of (level) 101, you’re in the 401, and that’s the beauty of the continuity of the staff."
Glenn's return aside, the Lions will have a new-look defensive staff next season.
They fired defensive line coach John Scott, defensive backs coaches Brian Duker and Dre Bly and senior defensive assistant John Fox after the season, and added Terrell Williams as defensive line coach/defensive run game coordinator, Deshea Townsend as defensive backs coach/defensive pass game coordinator and Jim O'Neil as defensive assistant.
Campbell called Williams "the best D-line coach in the league" Tuesday, said Townsend will "deliver exactly what A.G. wants in the back end," and touted O'Neil's experience as a former NFL defensive coordinator.
"Those guys are going to be good for us defensively," Campbell said. "Really help A.G. finish the vision on what we’re looking for."
Asked specifically about the return of Johnson, who reportedly turned off some teams with his monetary demands and didn't interview great with others but chose to stay in Detroit to pursue a Super Bowl, Campbell said he was fortunate to be able to retain a bright, young offensive mind who was considered one of the top assistants on the market.
"Here’s what I know about Ben," Campbell said. "When Ben is focused on this, he’s focused on this. And nothing’s going to move that for him. So once this item is done, he can close it, then he’ll move on to the next one.
"I don’t know the whole interview process, all those, but I know this, his whole focus was on helping us win and it wasn’t about preparing for interviews. And so I guess you just never know how they’re going to play out. I know this, he’s more than capable of being a head coach, he’s qualified. By the way people have hired in this league before, he’s more than qualified. But here’s what I love about Ben, Ben’s not going to do anything that he doesn’t want to do, that he really wants to do, or that he doesn’t feel like he’s ready for. So I’m glad we’ve got him back. He’s one of us."
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dan Campbell: Lions 'fortunate' to keep Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn
