4 Detroit Lions who won't be back after choking in NFC Championship Game
By Scott Rogust
What a run it has been for the Detroit Lions. No longer were they the "same old Lions" that finished near the bottom of the league. They turned into a well-built, well-coached team that the entire nation could get behind.
But with the season over, after they lost 34-31 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. It wasn't just any loss. It was a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss in which the Lions blew a 24-7 lead at halftime. A tough way for a dream season to end for the Lions.
That means there will be some names that won't return to Detroit next season. Here are members of the Lions who won't be back for the 2024 season.
4. Ben Johnson, OC
It is essentially a foregone conclusion that offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be gone next season. That's because he will undoubtedly be a head coach in the NFL.
Last year, Johnson interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts, but announced that he would not be pursuing head coaching opportunities to instead remain Lions offensive coordinator for at least another season. The head coaching opportunities were far from enticing, so Johnson waited another year.
In the regular season, Johnson oversaw a Lions offense that averaged 394.8 yards (third in NFL) and 27.1 points (fifth in NFL). Not to mention, Johnson helped fix Jared Goff's game, by limiting the mistakes and having him play like a top quarterback in the NFC.
Based on reporting, it sounds as though Johnson will be the next head coach for the Washington Commanders. While the team has been down on its luck, the team holds the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That means they can select one of the top quarterback prospects in either USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, or LSU's Jayden Daniels. Having Johnson at head coach to develop one of those quarterbacks is a no-brainer for the Commanders.
Thank Ben Johnson for the memories, because he will be coaching in the NFL next season.
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