Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson may have coached his final game with the franchise, as Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders have interest in hiring him – along with several other teams. While the Lions lost to the Commanders on Saturday night, it wasn't Johnson's fault.
Detroit's offense was creative, innovative and played like it. Whether it be a reverse to Jameson Williams or a surprising toss play. However, it was Johnson's third trick play attempt – a pass by Williams – that went awry.
Even though Johnson got a little overzealous and desperate late in Detroit's loss to the underdog Commanders, it doesn't take away from his merits as a head coaching candidate. In fact, Johnson was a frontrunner for the Washington job just last offseason before eventually passing at the last minute. While the back-and-forth in the aftermath got a little dirty, Johnson was reportedly put off by Washington's ownership.
"Was told that Ben Johnson was 'turned off' by Commanders ownership, that they're 'basketball guys' and felt they were a little too confident in their football opinions. And I also heard that he 'didn't interview well.' He said, he said, but clearly not a good fit for both sides," Jenna Laine of ESPN wrote.
Did Ben Johnson make a mistake not becoming Commanders head coach?
The then-Washington new owners, Josh Harris and Magic Johnson, went through their first NFL hiring experience last offseason. While Johnson eventually turned them down, Dan Quinn gleefully accepted. Quinn has established a culture of winning in Washington very quickly, and thankfully took the right quarterback.
Jayden Daniels is the franchise quarterback Washington has been waiting for. A former Heisman winner at LSU, Daniels has already had one of the best rookie seasons from a quarterback in recent memory. After Saturday's game, Quinn had nothing but praise for his quarterback.
“He just has a different poise about him than most and he's a rare competitor,” Quinn said. “There’s no doubt about that. But in those moments — if he was a basketball player, he’d want the last shot. As a ballplayer, he wants the ball in his hands to make the difference and he makes great decisions with the football. That takes real mindfulness.”
While Johnson will have his pick of the litter this offseason – likely choosing between the Bears, Jaguars and Raiders – one can't help but think what could have been had he signed on with those 'basketball guys' and trusted their leadership.