Commanders-Ben Johnson saga: Lions OC struggles in interviews, reportedly refers to ownership as “basketball guys”
As a top contender for head coach, Johnson has chosen to go back to Detroit.
Ben Johnson, the Washington Commanders, and the interview that transpired between them are swirling about in a lot of controversy.
According to ESPN, Johnson, who is still with the Lions in an offensive coordinator capacity, was put off by the Commanders’ ownership because they are “basketball guys” who are overly sure of themselves when it comes to football calls. Additionally, Johnson was said to have performed poorly during the interview in the same source.
The Commanders have just added NBA Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson to their roster of owners. Johnson won five championships with the Lakers while playing for the team and has since won trophies as an owner in MLB, the WNBA, and MLS, in addition to his position as a managing partner with Josh Harris.
As of late, Washington has persisted in its search for a new offensive coordinator. A former defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys and head coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Dan Quinn was hired by the Commanders to fill their head coaching seat.
By contrast, Johnson will be heading back to Detroit, the team where he had a breakout season. Halfway through the first quarter of the NFC championship game, the Lions scored 24 points, putting them among the league’s top teams in a number of offensive statistics. A 34-31 final score was too much for Johnson and company, as the Lions managed only seven second-half points.
While Johnson was not named head coach this season, he is sure to be among the first names considered next summer. Just don’t bank on his going to the White House any time soon.
