Fresh off a stunning home loss to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he expects to lose both of his coordinators to head-coaching jobs this offseason.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have been among the hot names in this cycle of openings and can now interview in person for those positions, per NFL rules. There are currently six openings in the league — the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Las Vegas Raiders, the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets.
“That’s my job, is to replenish and find the next man up and the guy who’s going to give us the best chance to have success on both sides of the ball,” said Campbell, who added that he hadn’t been told anything yet about them leaving.
Asked if losing both coordinators would change the Lions’ Super Bowl window, Campbell said, “We’re not going to allow that to happen. I’m not.”
Johnson was the mastermind behind the league’s highest-scoring offense this year. He has had virtual interviews with the Bears, Jaguars and Raiders and is expected to lock in his schedule over the next few days for in-person meetings. Johnson was also a candidate for head coach openings in the previous two offseasons, but elected to stay in Detroit.
Ben Johnson is expected to lock in his schedule over the next days for in-person meetings. So far, three teams—Raiders, Bears, and Jaguars—have shown strong interest in him. That said, it’s possible Johnson won’t meet with all three, as he’s still figuring out his next steps.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 20, 2025
Glenn coordinated a defense that battled through numerous injuries throughout the season. He also has interest from multiple teams and is set for in-person interviews this week with the Jets and the Saints, according to team sources. Glenn has ties to both teams. He was drafted by and played eight seasons with the Jets, and worked two seasons for the organization as a personnel scout. He also played one season in New Orleans and was a defensive backs coach with the Saints for five seasons.
In its rise to the top of the NFC, Detroit has had continuity at the coordinator spots for three seasons, but this early playoff exit could change that.
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“Does it hurt to lose those guys? Absolutely. They’re a part of what we’ve been here. They’ve been here for four years. They’re one of the major reasons why we’ve been able to get to where we’ve been,” Campbell said. “We came out of the dump and got to where we’re at. So, man, I will forever be grateful for those guys, and our team will. And is it a loss? Absolutely, it would be a loss. But yet, man, we move forward. This train rolls on, and I’ll find the next best guys for us.”
When asked specifically about a potential new offensive coordinator, Campbell indicated he wants to keep as much of the current system in place given Jared Goff’s success. The Lions quarterback has been named to the Pro Bowl in two of the last three seasons — including a selection this year in a season where he posted career-best numbers in completion percentage (72.4 percent), touchdowns (37) and quarterback rating (111.8).
“I’m going to be involved no matter what because I think that’s best for our offense,” Campbell said. “I want to keep our terminology in place and I want to make sure that Goff is comfortable because he’s playing at a high level.”
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Who could Campbell turn to as coordinators?
In many ways, Glenn and Johnson were perfect fits with Campbell because of his familiarity with them. Johnson was a holdover from Matt Patricia’s staff. He and Campbell worked together in Miami with the Dolphins. It was an easy choice to retain him, then promote him to OC when the Anthony Lynn tenure didn’t pan out. The Lions have been a top-three offense ever since.
Glenn, meanwhile, came over from New Orleans to run the defense and serve as a culture setter. It took some time for his defense to match Johnson’s offense, but Glenn’s unit ranked in the top three in points allowed when healthier this year, and finished in the top 10 in points allowed despite several injuries. Glenn’s ability to lead a locker room is just as strong as Campbell’s — perhaps making him a better head coach than a defensive coordinator. Campbell has known for a while now that his time with his coordinators was limited. Now he’s bracing for both to leave.
With that in mind, things will undoubtedly look a little different, should both depart. Campbell said he’s open to external hires, but he wants Detroit’s identity to remain in place. He talked about wanting to play man coverage and put pressure on opposing offenses. He said he wants the next OC to make Goff feel comfortable and for Detroit’s terminology to stay the same. That would suggest keeping things in-house, but we’ll see.
Passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand or assistant head coach/running backs coach Scottie Montgomery would make sense as a Johnson replacement. Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard has stated his desire of being a DC, and could be ready for a promotion. But an external option like Dennis Allen, Lou Anarumo or Robert Saleh could make sense for Campbell, too, if both parties see a fit in Detroit. — Colton Pouncy, Lions beat writer
— Dianna Russini contributed reporting.
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