Ben Johnson was once considered almost certain to take the head coaching job after the Detroit Lions hired 37-year-old Ben Johnson to excel as their offensive coordinator, but he ended up in Detroit. The drama surrounding his job search continues to escalate.
ESPN reported Johnson has had issues with the Washington Commanders’ ownership after interviewing to become the team’s new head coach following the firing of Ron Rivera.
According to ESPN, Johnson viewed the ownership group, led by Philadelphia 76ers owner Josh Harris and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, as “basketball dudes” who were overly confident in their knowledge of the game. He said he believed he had it.
The report also showed that Mr. Johnson had a poor demeanor during the interview.
Johnson reportedly initially agreed to a second meeting with Washington, but then changed his mind and canceled the second scheduled meeting while the manager’s owner flew to meet with him in Detroit. I canceled my interview via text message.
Ultimately, the top coaching job went to Dan Quinn, former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and most recently defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
Kliff Kingsbury was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. Quinn reportedly may join as the team’s offensive coordinator.
And rather than going elsewhere to become a head coach, Johnson will continue in his role as Detroit’s OC, where he led quarterback Jared Goff to two consecutive great seasons.
It remains to be seen whether this controversy will affect Johnson’s chances of becoming a head coach in the future.
