NFL Rumors: Ben Johnson to Return as Lions OC; Passes on Commanders, Seahawks HC Jobs

Detroit Lions fans are surely still upset about Sunday's NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but they can at least take solace knowing offensive coordinator Ben Johnson reportedly isn't going anywhere.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Johnson told the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders he plans to stay with the Lions.

"Johnson is still only 37 and will be a hot head coaching candidate again next year," Pelissero wrote. "But first, he wants to take another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Detroit."

While Johnson was one of the most discussed candidates during this coaching cycle, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported he "was not the head-coaching lock that people thought and his asking price spooked some teams."

Schefter added more details:

Washington and Seattle are the only two teams with remaining head-coaching vacancies, and one of the highest-regarded offensive coordinators is now off the board.

That is excellent news for the Lions, who will look to build on their NFC North crown and NFC Championship Game appearance. It seemed like they would be preparing for the Super Bowl at this point after building a 24-7 halftime lead against San Francisco, but they fell apart after intermission and allowed the 49ers to secure a comeback win.

Still, it was quite a run for a Detroit franchise that hadn't won a postseason game since the 1991 campaign.

The 2024 season will be Johnson's third as the offensive coordinator. The Lions offense finished fourth in the league in yards and fifth in scoring in his first year and third in the league in yards and fifth in scoring in his second year.

Another performance like that will likely have the team back in the playoffs next season with the opportunity to take the next step and pursue a Lombardi Trophy.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are all expected back, and there is no reason for anything but optimism in Detroit going into the 2024 campaign.

That is especially true with the offensive coordinator returning.