(Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Against all odds, the Detroit Lions were able to keep their guy for at least another season.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson announced his desire to stay in Motor City for another year, which was kind of a surprise, all things considered.
Johnson was supposed to be the frontrunner to land the Washington Commanders’ head coaching job before he withdrew himself from consideration.
And while there shouldn’t be any issues with that, the way he conducted business rubbed the Commanders the wrong way.
According to a report from The Athletic, Johnson’s agent texted the Commanders about his decision to stay with the Lions while they were in the air flying to meet with him.
Ben Johnson’s agent shared his plans to stay in Detroit by texting Washington officials while the Commanders’ group was on a flight to Michigan.
League sources shared one unified sentiment: The Commanders got screwed, write @BenStandig and @DMRussini.https://t.co/UVNwAYAyFA pic.twitter.com/I30oolPaRY
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 5, 2024
Apparently, they were livid about that, stating that’s no way of conducting business and how that’s an easy way to ruin your reputation around the league.
Johnson was one of the most sought-after assistants in the league.
He put together one of the most explosive and versatile offenses in the game, helping the Lions make it all the way to the NFC Championship Game.
He’s quite young, and he didn’t want to become a head coach last season because he knew he wasn’t ready, so perhaps it has something to do with that.
Then again, the way he handled this situation could come back to haunt him at some point in the future, as this is a ruthless business and one that often involves the same people, and you better believe they won’t forget about this.
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