The Detroit Lions still have big fish to fry when it comes to their Super Bowl aspirations in 2024, but they might find themselves seeking a new offensive coordinator in 2025 if Ben Johnson moves on.
Johnson has been one of the hottest names in terms of head-coaching candidates for a few years now, but the Lions have been fortunate to retain him. However, it seems inevitable that Johnson will eventually leave for a head-coaching gig elsewhere, and that could come as soon as 2025.
“I think there’s a burning desire in every man to find what he’s made out of, push the limits, and see if he’s got what it takes,” Johnson said of becoming a head coach, per Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit.
“So, yeah, there’s a fire there. When that time is, I don’t know when that would be, but there’s certainly a fire there.”
While the assumption has been that Johnson will be the hottest candidate in next year's cycle, The Athletic's Dianna Russini believes that it is actually former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.
"I think without a doubt headed into this coaching cycle here — Mike Vrabel is hands down going to be the most sought-out coach, because we're seeing the trend once again being about a leader, a CEO that can quickly establish a culture and an identity for teams that are in need," Russini said on the Scoop City podcast.
As impressive as Johnson's resume is, Vrabel's is right there with his, and it might be more impressive considering he actually has head-coaching experience.
Outside of Jeff Fisher, Vrabel was the most successful coach in Titans history. He led the franchise to two division titles, and before that Tennessee made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game in 2019 on Vrabel's watch.
On top of all that, Vrabel built a fantastic culture in Nashville and his teams were almost always competitive, no matter how big of an underdog Tennessee was against its opponent.
Of course, the wheels came off over his last two seasons, but that was more a result of terrible decisions made by his general manager, Jon Robinson, than anything he did. Even with the struggles in 2022 and 2023, Vrabel was still considered a top-notch coach and it was a shock to see Tennessee fire him.
Unfortunately, there is going to be more than one head-coach opening next year, so there's still a very good chance the Lions will lose Johnson, even if Russini's belief is accurate.
One team that continues to be floated as a possibility for Johnson is the Chicago Bears, a team the Lions offensive coordinator is reportedly "intrigued" by. And, reports also suggest that Johnson will interview for the job after the season.
Losing Johnson in and of itself would stink for Detroit, but seeing him go to a division rival would make his departure an even tougher pill to swallow. Be prepared for the worst, Lions fans.
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