Ben Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022 after spending three seasons with the Lions in multiple roles on the coaching staff. He came to Detroit in 2019, as an offensive quality control coach, and was heavily involved in the passing game during Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell's first season in Detroit.
"I think Ben's a rock star, man," Campbell said. "He's a young guy, but he's kind of gone a little longer, harder road to get to where he's at. He's been around some really good coaches, now, some guys who have coached some pretty good quarterbacks. Just being around Mike Sherman when I was with him down there (in Miami). Joe Philbin, who was with (Aaron) Rodgers. Then he's with (Adam) Gase, who had (Peyton) Manning and those guys. So he understands quarterback play well. He was with Zac Taylor, who was with me in Miami. We were all together there in Miami. So, he understands it well."
In 2020, Johnson helped guide second-year TE T.J. Hockenson to his first-career Pro Bowl after posting 67 receptions for 723 yards (10.8 avg.) and six touchdowns. Hockenson became just the fifth tight end in franchise history to earn Pro Bowl honors and the first since 1999. Among all NFL tight ends, Hockenson ranked in the top five in receiving yards (3rd), receiving 1st downs (3rd) and receptions (4th).
Prior to joining Detroit, he was promoted to the Dolphins wide receivers coach in 2018 where he helped WR Albert Wilson average the second-most yards after catch (12.9) in the NFL and the fifth-highest yards per target (11.2).
In 2017, Johnson helped WR Jarvis Landry catch a Dolphins franchise-record and an NFL-high 112 receptions. Landry also earned Pro Bowl recognition for the third consecutive season and caught a career-high nine touchdown passes.
In Johnson's first season as assistant wide receivers coach in 2016, he helped the Dolphins win 10 games and earn their first playoff berth since 2008. Johnson coached Landry to 94 receptions for 1,136 yards (12.1 avg.) and four touchdowns, earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Landry's 94 receptions were fourth in single-season Dolphins history and his 1,136 receiving yards were eighth.
From 2013-15 Johnson served as the team's assistant quarterbacks coach and in 2015 was promoted to the tight ends coach during the season. In 2014, Johnson helped QB Ryan Tannehill finish with 4,045 passing yards, joining QB Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in Dolphins history to surpass 4,000 yards in a season. Tannehill passed for 4,208 passing yards in 2015 and steadily improved his passing yardage in all four of his NFL seasons with Johnson coaching his position.
In 2012, Johnson started with the Dolphins as an offensive assistant coach and helped an offense that finished fourth in the AFC in rushing touchdowns (15).
Johnson joined the Miami Dolphins after spending three years (2009-11) at Boston College. He spent his final season as tight ends coach after spending his first two seasons as a graduate assistant.
Johnson played four seasons as a quarterback at North Carolina and graduated in 2008 with a B.S. in mathematics and a B.S. in computer science. Johnson and his wife, Jessica, have a daughter, Emory and son, Kennedy.
