Report: Detroit Lions to retain TE coach Ben Johnson
Free Press’ Dave Birkett is reporting that the Detroit Lions are planning to retain tight end coach Ben Johnson in midst of coaching change.
While Johnson has only been with the Lions two seasons, he has known coach Dan Campbell since their days with the Miami Dolphins. In 2015, when Campbell was promoted to Dolphins’ interim coach, it was Johnson who took over coaching tight ends.
Johnson was a walk-on quarterback at North Carolina, and began his coaching career after graduation, taking a job with Boston College. After three years, Johnson took a position with the Dolphins as an offensive assistant in 2012.
While in Miami, Johnson was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2013-14, coaching under Zac Taylor — the current head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals — before opening 2015 as both the assistant quarterback and assistant tight ends coach, then transitioning to Campbell’s old job. He shifted to assistant wide receivers coach in 2016 and was elevated to wide receivers coach in 2018.
In 2019, he joined the Lions as an offensive quality control coach and took over as tight ends in 2020. Under Johnson’s guidance, T.J. Hockenson made his first Pro Bowl and led the NFC at the position with 67 receptions for 723 yards, and six touchdowns on the year.
Tight ends coach is an important job, especially considering that was the position Campbell played in the NFL, and he will need to be at his best to keep Hockenson among the best tight ends in the league.
