On this special episode of Twentyman in the Huddle presented by Microsoft, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson joins Tim Twentyman in studio to discuss why he returned to Detroit after interviewing for head coaching jobs in Houston, Carolina and Indianapolis this offseason. The two begin by talking through what Johnson learned from his first foray into the head coaching carousel and then get into what made Johnson want to return to Detroit and the Lions organization for a second season as offensive coordinator. Next, they break down how the offensive staff will handle the offseason and work to improve the scheme ahead of the 2023 season. After that, Tim asks about the plans for Jared Goff, the offensive line, Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown and what we may see from the offense as a whole this fall. To wrap things up, Tim and Ben Johnson discuss why Lions fans should be excited about the offensive side of the ball as the team enters the offseason and turns the page to 2023.
Highlights include:
- 0:26: What did Ben Johnson learn from his interviews and the process of the coaching carousel?
- 1:29: The "really simple" reason why Ben Johnson returned to Detroit for 2023
- 3:08: How important is keeping most of the same offensive staff together for a second season?
- 4:23: How did Dan Campbell impact Johnson's decision to return?
- 5:21: A look at the position of "Passing Game Coordinator" as Tanner Engstrand moves into that role for 2023
- 6:45: Ben Johnson's thoughts on Jared Goff's performance in 2022
- 8:17: What's the next step for the Lions offense after such a successful season?
- 10:06: What does Ben Johnson expect from Jameson Williams in year two?
- 11:30: How does Amon-Ra St. Brown make the offense so much better?
- 12:32: Breaking down the importance of the Lions' offensive line to what the team can do offensively
- 14:17: How is the coaching staff tackling free agency and the team's pending free agents?
- 15:15: How excited are the coaches for what the team is capable of ahead of the 2023 season?
- 16:10: Wrapping up with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
