The Chicago Bears made a notable move on Super Bowl Sunday, promoting Press Taylor to offensive coordinator — and it turns out that decision is quietly great news for theDetroit Lions.
Taylor, 38, had been serving as Chicago’s passing game coordinator during the Bears’ first season under head coach Ben Johnson. He steps into the OC role vacated by Declan Doyle, who recently left to become the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator.
From a Detroit perspective, this hire closes the door on a lingering concern.
Why Lions Fans Can Exhale
Given Johnson’s strong ties to Detroit, there was real speculation that the Bears might look to poach a member of the Lions’ offensive staff to fill the vacancy. Two names stood out as logical fits:
Hank Fraley, Detroit’s run game coordinator and offensive line coach
Scottie Montgomery, assistant head coach and wide receivers coach
Either would have made sense based on their familiarity with Johnson’s system and Detroit’s offensive success.
Instead, Chicago kept the hire in-house — a win for Detroit.
Continuity Matters for 2026
For a Lions team aiming to return to the postseason and re-enter Super Bowl contention in 2026, offensive continuity is critical. Detroit’s roster is built around timing, chemistry, and cohesion, and losing a key assistant could have disrupted that momentum.
With Taylor’s promotion, Detroit’s offensive staff remains intact, allowing new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to move forward without unexpected changes around him.
Bottom Line
Chicago filled its coordinator vacancy without dipping into Detroit’s staff, and that stability matters.
The Lions keep their core offensive coaches, preserve continuity for their star players, and avoid an unnecessary offseason shake-up. Sometimes the best news for one team comes from a move made by a division rival.
The first-place winner gets a Wiener’s Circle gift card, merchandise and bragging rights.
Staff there say despite the weather and Sunday’s heartbreaking loss, this event about paying tribute to this team, to Caleb and more importantly, to have a little fun.
“We still decided to have it because, why not? Why cancel it? We still had a great season we still love Caleb, we love Ben, we love the entire Bears team so why not,” said Wiener’s Circle crew member Ragen Eggert.
If you stayed up to watch last night’s NFC Wild Card thriller between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, you saw one of the wildest comebacks of the postseason, and one of the coldest postgame moments you will ever see.
Chicago erased a stunning 21–3 halftime deficit to stun Green Bay, 31–27, at Soldier Field, sending the Bears to the Divisional Round and ending the Packers’ season in heartbreaking fashion. But it wasn’t just the comeback that had social media buzzing.
It was the handshake.
As the final seconds ticked away, cameras immediately cut to Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur meeting at midfield. LaFleur paused and extended his hand in what looked like a traditional, respectful postgame gesture.
Johnson? He barely slowed down.
The Bears coach delivered a quick, almost dismissive shake and kept walking, barely making eye contact. The moment lasted only a second, but it was enough to ignite X (Twitter), TikTok, and every NFL group chat in America.
Quick handshake between Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur 👀
The tension between the two coaches dates back to Johnson’s introductory press conference as Bears head coach, when he famously said, “I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.” That quote didn’t exactly endear him to Green Bay, and it clearly hasn’t been forgotten.
Given the history, the rivalry, and the emotion of a playoff elimination, the icy exchange felt personal. LaFleur handled it like a veteran, offering the handshake. Johnson handled it like a rival who just ripped your season away.
The result? A viral clip that perfectly captured the bitterness of the Bears-Packers rivalry, and a reminder that this feud isn’t cooling off anytime soon.
If you told Detroit Lions fans a year ago that Ben Johnson would be coaching the Chicago Bears into the playoffs, while Detroit sat at home, nobody would’ve believed you. Yet here we are. Johnson’s first season in Chicago has flipped the NFC North upside-down, and now his success may come full circle… in a way that could actually help the Lions.
Because while the Lions lost Johnson and Aaron Glenn last offseason, the tables may now be turning.
The Bears May Lose Key Assistants… Just Like Detroit Did
Johnson didn’t do this alone in Chicago, and teams around the league know it. Jones reports that multiple Bears assistants are expected to draw serious coordinator interest, including:
Declan Doyle — Offensive Coordinator
Doesn’t call plays but has been under Johnson’s wing all season
Still under 30 and already viewed as a rising star
Press Taylor — Pass-Game Coordinator
Revitalizing his career outside Doug Pederson’s shadow
J.T. Barrett — Quarterbacks Coach
Former Ohio State star who’s quickly climbing the coaching ladder
Eric Bieniemy — Running Backs Coach
Two-time Super Bowl–winning OC
Reestablishing his value while leading a backfield that’s already topped 2,100 scrimmage yards
Chicago can block teams from interviewing Doyle, but they cannot stop the league from coming after the others.
And that’s where things get interesting for Detroit.
Dan Campbell May Look to Poach From Ben Johnson’s Own Staff
Jones reports that league sources expect Dan Campbell to be in the market for a new offensive coordinator, and that one of the most logical pipelines runs straight through Chicago.
Yes… the same pipeline the Bears used to take Johnson from Detroit.
Call it ironic. Call it full-circle. Call it football karma.
But if Campbell taps into Johnson’s staff?
Detroit regains schematic creativity
The Lions weaken a division rival
And they do it using the tree Johnson built because of Detroit in the first place
That’s how the NFL works. Today’s rising staff becomes tomorrow’s coaching farm system.
And if the Bears get picked apart like the Lions did last year?
Well… Detroit fans know firsthand how big of a blow that can be.
Why This Matters for the Lions in 2026
The Lions don’t just need “a coordinator.” They need the right voice, with:
Modern pass-game structure
QB-friendly design
Run-game synergy
Red-zone organization
And big-moment composure
Sound familiar?
Yeah, that’s what Ben Johnson brought to Detroit.
And if Campbell can grab one of Johnson’s protégés, he may recover some of what the Lions lost… while nudging the Bears backward in the process.
That’s not just replacing talent.
That’s strategic roster-building for the coaching staff.
Bottom Line
The Bears rose fast under Ben Johnson, but the NFL doesn’t let good staffs stay together for long. If Chicago gets raided the way Detroit did last offseason, the Lions could finally catch a break.
And if Dan Campbell pulls one of those assistants to Detroit?
It wouldn’t just fill a hole.
It would flip the script on the very coaching movement that helped derail the Lions in the first place.
Sometimes in the NFL… The shoe really does end up on the other foot.
Coming off a deep playoff run in 2023 and a 15-2 regular season in 2024, the Detroit Lions’ expectations inside Allen Park were sky-high. Players talked openly about unfinished business. Coaches preached urgency. Fans circled “Super Bowl contender” next to the Lions’ name before Week 1 even kicked off.
And then the season happened.
Between a brutal schedule, shaky offensive line play, and a defense that just couldn’t stay healthy, the Lions stumbled out of contention and officially missed the postseason for the first time since 2022. It wasn’t the script anybody expected, and now everyone is trying to unpack what went wrong.
One of the louder voices weighing in? Fox Sports 1’s Nick Wright, and he didn’t exactly hold back.
“Was the Super Bowl window ever really open?”
According to Wright, the Lions’ failure to capitalize didn’t come out of nowhere, he believes Detroit may have been riding momentum more than reality.
“I don’t know that the Lions’ Super Bowl window was ever actually open,” Wright said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “As good as Dan Campbell’s been, there’s been one season where they’ve won a playoff game since he’s been there. They won two, and then they blew a lead in the NFC Championship game.”
In other words, Wright thinks Detroit’s magical rise masked structural cracks that resurfaced in 2025.
Culture can elevate you. Culture can change a franchise. But culture alone doesn’t win chess matches in January.
And that’s where Wright thinks the Lions took their biggest hit.
Losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn? Yeah… that mattered.
The Lions didn’t just lose players last offseason, they lost two of the sharpest minds on the sideline.
Ben Johnson took over the Chicago Bears and immediately turned them into a legitimate NFC North contender. Aaron Glenn left for a head-coaching job of his own. And while plenty of fans shrugged at the time, figuring Detroit’s culture was strong enough to survive, Wright believes those departures ripped away Detroit’s biggest competitive advantage.
“I think the loss of Ben Johnson is real,” Wright said. “I think the loss of Aaron Glenn… doesn’t mean that he wasn’t a super valuable defensive coordinator.”
He wasn’t ripping John Morton or Kelvin Sheppard, but he was pointing out that the Lions no longer had the schematic edge they once did.
Culture gets you out of the basement. Schematics keep you in the penthouse.
Detroit fell somewhere in between.
Jared Goff: Good… but limited when things go sideways
Wright also revisited his long-standing take on Jared Goff, calling him a “civilian” quarterback in a league where some guys wear capes.
And the Christmas Day collapse didn’t help the narrative.
After protecting the ball most of the year, Goff was directly involved in five turnovers in Detroit’s elimination loss. That was the kind of performance that makes analysts and fans question ceiling vs. floor.
“If everything is just right, he can be exceptional,” Wright said. “He’s accurate, he’s on time, he can operate your offense. But if things get a little off, I don’t think he can fix things for you. That’s just a hard way to operate.”
That’s not a condemnation, but it is a reminder of what the Lions must build around him:
Elite blocking
Strong run game
Stable, coordinated structure
When those things crack? The margin disappears fast.
So… where do the Lions go from here?
This season will sting for a while. There’s no way around that.
But there’s also clarity.
The Lions don’t need a culture reboot. They don’t need to blow up the roster. They don’t need to panic.
What they do need is:
Smarter game-planning
Stronger trenches
A renewed commitment to coaching excellence
The Lions proved they can build something legitimate.
Ford Field was rocking on Sunday. The Detroit Lions were steamrolling the Chicago Bears, and the crowd was in full voice. But late in the game, things took a different turn. Out of the noise came a very clear chant: “F%K Ben Johnson!”
And just like that, the debate began. Was this fair? Was it too much? Or was it simply fans being fans?
The Case for “Yes, It Was OK”
Let’s be real, sports are emotional. Ben Johnson wasn’t just some random coach who left for a different job. He was the guy who helped transform Detroit’s offense into one of the most dangerous in football. Then, when it felt like the Lions were on the cusp of something historic, he bolted to coach a division rival. To many fans, that felt personal.
Chants like this are nothing new in sports. They’re raw, they’re loud, and they send a message: you crossed us, and you’re going to hear about it. It’s part of the atmosphere that makes football in Detroit feel different. And let’s be honest, Johnson had to know this was coming when he signed on the dotted line with Chicago.
The Case for “Maybe It Crossed the Line”
On the other hand, there’s a difference between booing and straight-up vulgar chants. Kids were in the building. Families were there. And while emotion is part of the game, so is respect. Johnson helped shape Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff, and others into stars. Plenty of players still speak highly of him. Some might say the chant was less about passion and more about pettiness.
And here’s another thing, the Lions don’t need it. They already proved their point on the field. A 52-21 blowout says more than any chant could.
#Lions fans were chanting “F*** Ben Johnson” during today’s game vs. the Bears:
Personally? I get it, but I would not have joined in. Detroit fans have carried decades of frustration, and when someone leaves for a rival, especially someone as beloved as Johnson was, emotions boil over. The chant was loud, it was raw, and it was undeniably Detroit. Was it classy? Not at all. But sports aren’t always about being classy. They’re about passion, loyalty, and sometimes a little bit of venom.
At the same time, I think Lions fans would’ve looked even stronger by just drowning Johnson in boos, letting the scoreboard do the talking, and keeping it clean. The chants gave national outlets a chance to focus on the vulgarity instead of the domination.
The Bottom Line
So, was it “OK”? Depends who you ask. If you believe sports are an outlet for raw emotion, then yes, the chant fit the moment. If you believe in keeping things above the belt, then maybe Detroit crossed the line.
Either way, one thing’s for sure: Ben Johnson got the message loud and clear.
The Detroit Lions might have insisted all week that their Week 2 clash with the Chicago Bears wasn’t about Ben Johnson, but safety Brian Branch wasn’t shy about telling the real story.
When asked directly how much the Lions were motivated by facing their former offensive coordinator, Branch didn’t sugarcoat it:
“Very motivated,” Branch said via Pride of Detroit. “We knew coming into this game that this is personal. Really, all these games are personal. But this one was just—we felt like we’ve been betrayed from staff to players. We love Ben. We still love Ben. He’s a great coach and he’s a great mastermind, but yeah, it was time to get after him.”
Branch went on to clarify what exactly made it feel personal. It wasn’t just that Johnson left Detroit, it was where he landed.
“Yeah, he could’ve went anywhere else, but he’s got to see us again,” Branch added.
The Bigger Picture
Johnson helped transform Detroit’s offense into one of the league’s best before leaving to become Chicago’s head coach. His fingerprints are still all over the Lions’ scheme, and plenty of players, like Amon-Ra St. Brown, have been open about how much Johnson’s coaching helped their careers.
But Branch’s honesty reflects the underlying tension: it stings more when a respected coach crosses over to a division rival. The fact that Detroit’s defense came out flying, forcing turnovers and holding Chicago to just 21 points, shows just how personal this one really was.
The Bottom Line
While Campbell and Goff downplayed the rivalry angle, Brian Branch pulled back the curtain on how the Lions really felt. Johnson’s move to Chicago lit a fire under Detroit’s defense, and the Lions made sure to send a message loud and clear.
And in Branch’s words, that message was simple: you don’t betray this locker room without paying the price.
The Chicago Bears come to Ford Field this weekend, and yes, it’s the return of Ben Johnson, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator who bolted for a division rival after last year’s playoff exit. Naturally, the hot topic this week has been whether Johnson will try to get cute with trick plays against his old team.
Campbell was asked directly about preparing for Johnson’s creativity, and his answer was classic Dan Campbell, no nonsense, straight to the point.
“You’ll practice one or two things, you do it for every opponent. But, I don’t really care about trick plays,” Campbell said Wednesday. “Let’s just handle the meat and potatoes of an offense, a defense, what we think they’re going to hang their hat on, and let’s stop that first. Let’s worry about that, let’s make sure we’re all on point, and we’ll handle the other stuff with our rules. You have to have proper eyes, man, we give you those rules for a reason. And look, they may hit us on one, that’s alright. That happens, you get back in the huddle and let’s go to the next play.”
That’s vintage Campbell, focus on the fundamentals, and don’t get distracted by the bells and whistles.
The Bigger Picture
Sure, Johnson has been credited with designing some of Detroit’s most creative offensive wrinkles over the last couple years. But Campbell pointed out that trick plays weren’t some every-drive gimmick, even when Johnson was in Detroit. And if the Bears do happen to catch the Lions off guard once? So what.
“You can’t sit there and paralyze yourself with, ‘What if? What if? What if?’” Campbell said. “The most important thing is you’ll get in trouble if you don’t handle the nuts and bolts of an offense. If you can’t stop the run, we bleed out explosives, then that’s where you can get in trouble. So, I’m not worried about the other stuff.”
The message is clear: Detroit isn’t going to waste valuable preparation time chasing hypothetical trick plays. Campbell wants his team to tighten up the basics first, blocking, tackling, communication, the things that actually win football games.
Back to Basics Week
If there’s one theme that keeps coming up from Allen Park this week, it’s simplicity. The Lions don’t want to get bogged down in “what ifs.” They want to fix what went wrong in Green Bay and put together a cleaner, more physical performance at home.
Ben Johnson may have a few surprises tucked into his playbook. But Campbell isn’t sweating it, and he doesn’t want his team sweating it either.
John Morton had no shortage of suitors when it came time to decide his coaching future. While on vacation in Mexico earlier this offseason, the veteran offensive coach suddenly became one of the hottest names in football.
Morton’s Big Decision
According to reports, Ben Johnson, now head coach of the Chicago Bears, reached out to Morton and tried to bring him to Chicago. At the same time, Sean Payton wanted Morton to stay with him in Denver, and Dan Campbellwas calling from Detroit with a major opportunity: offensive coordinator of the Lions.
It was a decision that had Morton weighing multiple paths, but Campbell always had the edge.
“I didn’t know Ben would call him, but I had a good hunch that Ben would call him. I mean, he’d be crazy not to,” Campbell said via the Detroit Free Press. “That’s the thing, Johnny is like a behind-the-scenes grinder. He’s not somebody that has ambition to be a head coach, he just wants to coach offensive football. That’s all he gives a crap about, and then just — that’s it. And so anybody that’s looking for somebody that’s creative and is a grinder, you’re going to want John Morton.”
Why Detroit Won Out
Morton didn’t make the choice lightly. He contacted close confidants in the coaching world, and the advice was clear: Detroit was the right fit. His reputation as a detailed, hard-working offensive mind lined up perfectly with Campbell’s vision for the league’s highest-scoring offense in 2024.
In the end, Morton chose to lead the Lions’ offense into 2025, stepping into the role vacated by Johnson’s departure to Chicago.
For Detroit, it was a win. For Morton, it was a chance to do what he loves most, coach offensive football, without the distractions of chasing a head coaching job.
The Detroit Lions shocked the NFL world last season, winning a franchise-record 15 games and boasting the league’s highest-scoring offense. When Ben Johnson left to become head coach of the Chicago Bears, Dan Campbell turned to a familiar face, John Morton, to keep the fireworks going.
And Morton’s message about inheriting this offense? Simple: “I just can’t screw this up.” (H/T to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press for quotes included in this article)
Morton’s Relentless Work Ethic
Morton isn’t your typical play-calling star on the rise. As Campbell put it, he’s a “behind-the-scenes grinder.” Morton is known for keeping long hours, often arriving at the Lions’ facility around 3:30 a.m. to begin preparing practice scripts and game plans.
That obsessive routine started back in his early days with the Oakland Raiders. Morton once asked Hall of Famer Jerry Rice why he still trained so hard late in his career. Rice’s answer stuck with him: “I was scared to death of losing my job.” Morton has carried that same mindset into every stop of his coaching journey.
A Loaded Offense at His Fingertips
Morton isn’t walking into a rebuild, he’s walking into a Ferrari.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams headline a wide receiver room that can stretch defenses in every direction.
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery both cracked 1,000 yards from scrimmage last year, making Detroit’s backfield one of the NFL’s most balanced.
Sam LaPorta has already established himself as one of the best young tight ends in the league.
Jared Goff, coming off MVP votes, provides stability at quarterback.
It’s no wonder Morton looked out at practice this summer and admitted: “I watch these guys warm up, I’m just like, ‘Man, I just can’t screw this up.’”
The Challenge Ahead
Replacing Ben Johnson is no small task. Johnson was one of the most innovative minds in football, and his fingerprints are still all over Detroit’s offense. Morton has wisely chosen to keep most of the terminology in place and collaborate closely with Goff, who praised Morton’s openness and lack of ego.
But Morton isn’t just here to babysit the scheme. He’s already hinted at adding “a few wrinkles,” particularly with how he’ll use Gibbs and Williams in space. The challenge will be balancing creativity with the consistency that made Detroit the league’s top offense in 2024.
The Bottom Line
John Morton knows the stakes. The Lions are Super Bowl contenders, armed with an elite roster and sky-high expectations. His words say it all: “I just can’t screw this up.”
If he finds the right balance of continuity and innovation, Detroit’s offense might not just maintain last year’s dominance, it could take the next step toward bringing the franchise its first Lombardi Trophy.
In a surprising turnaround, the New York Jets defeated the Houston Texans 21-13 last night, improving their record to 3-6 on the season. Despite the win, the frustrations of Jets fans were still evident, with some resorting to wearing brown paper bags over their heads—a time-honored symbol of fan discontent in the NFL.
One particular fan stood out, not just for wearing a bag but for the message emblazoned on it: “Jets are playing, beware!! Save me!! Ben Johnson.” This poignant plea reflects the desire for change and improvement, especially in the offensive department, as the Jets continue to navigate a challenging season.
Photo courtesy of @cjzero on X
Who is Ben Johnson?
Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, has earned a reputation as one of the top offensive minds in the league. Under his leadership, the Lions have become the highest-scoring team in the NFL through the first eight weeks of the season. Johnson has turned down head coaching opportunities over the past couple of years, opting to stay with the Lions and continue developing their explosive offense.
The Jets’ Journey
With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, expectations for the Jets were sky-high this season. However, their performance has been inconsistent, leading to calls for a complete overhaul of the coaching staff. The mid-season firing of head coach Robert Saleh left the team searching for direction, and many fans are now eyeing Johnson as a potential savior.
Despite last night’s victory over the Texans, the Jets still have much work to do under interim head coach Ben Ulbrich. Fans are left wondering if the team will pursue a proven leader like Johnson, especially if they hope to sustain their momentum moving forward.
A Possible Future?
As speculation swirls around the potential for Johnson to leave Detroit, the question remains: Could he head to New York at the end of this season? With the Jets’ need for a strong offensive presence clear, Johnson’s track record may make him an attractive candidate for a franchise seeking a fresh start.
For now, Johnson is focused on leading the Lions as they prepare to face the Green Bay Packers this Sunday. Detroit fans have shown immense appreciation for his contributions, and the team’s performance under his guidance speaks volumes about his coaching abilities.
According to NFL insider Albert Breer, who spoke on ESPN Chicago, Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson had a strong interest in the Chicago Bears head coaching position last season. “He was definitely looking at the Chicago job last year,” Breer said. “There were some people who thought that’s the one he wanted, and obviously it didn’t come open.”
While the Bears ultimately retained head coach Matt Eberflus, Breer’s insight suggests that Johnson may have preferred a shot at leading Chicago’s franchise.
Johnson’s decision to remain in Detroit has so far proven beneficial for the Lions, who are leading the NFC North and contending for a playoff spot. As for the Bears, the “what ifs” surrounding Johnson’s potential interest in their head coaching role adds another layer of intrigue to the already heated rivalry between these two historic franchises.
With Johnson now firmly rooted in Detroit and helping to orchestrate a high-powered offense, Lions fans can breathe a sigh of relief—at least for now. As the Lions make their playoff push, Johnson’s creative play-calling has become a cornerstone of the team’s success, leaving many wondering how different things could have looked had he crossed over to Chicago.
The Detroit Lions’ offense has become one of the most unpredictable units in the NFL, and that’s by design, according to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Known for his creativity and willingness to dial up trick plays, Johnson recently spoke to the media about his offensive philosophy and why it keeps opposing defenses constantly guessing.
When asked whether he runs too many trick plays, especially when a game is already in hand, Johnson was quick to explain that his playbook runs deep, and every play—no matter how unconventional—has been meticulously prepared for.
Ben Johnson Says “The Well Is Deep”
Johnson mentioned that the Lions’ playbook has a vast selection of trick plays that take extensive preparation and demand precise execution from the players. He emphasized that it’s not just about having fun with creative plays but about creating an offensive system that’s difficult for opposing defenses to predict.
“The well is deep,” Johnson explained as quoted by Erick Woodyard. “We spend a lot of time preparing these plays, and we’re demanding of our players to execute them perfectly when their number is called.”
This meticulous planning and practice give the Lions an edge when calling trick plays, especially in high-pressure situations. Detroit’s ability to execute at a high level has led to some memorable moments this season, such as their recent double reverse flea flicker for a long touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys.
Unpredictability is Key
Johnson also touched on why his offense is so hard to anticipate. One of his primary goals is to avoid running the same play twice, even if it’s been successful in the past. By constantly switching things up, opposing defenses have no chance to settle into a rhythm or figure out the Lions’ tendencies.
“We can run a million different types of plays,” Johnson said. “With that, I don’t like to run the same one twice.”
This philosophy keeps defenses on their heels, unsure of what’s coming next. It’s one reason why the Lions have emerged as one of the most exciting offenses in the NFL, with explosive plays coming from all over the field, whether it’s a deep pass, a creative trick play, or an unexpected shift in formation.
A Recipe for Success
Johnson’s approach to offense has turned the Lions into a serious contender, with quarterback Jared Goff flourishing in a system that promotes unpredictability and creativity. The Lions’ explosive offense has been key in their strong start to the season, and with Johnson pulling the strings, it’s clear that no defense will ever truly know what to expect.
Opposing teams can prepare all they want, but as Johnson pointed out, with so many plays at their disposal, the Lions are ready to pull out just about anything when the time comes. And if recent performances are anything to go by, Johnson’s philosophy of never running the same play twice is working to perfection.
