This off-season, Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, made the announcement that he will not be looking for a head coaching position.
This eliminated the top prospect for the Washington Commanders and, according to some, eliminated the strongest coaching candidate of this cycle.
Last year, he declined a head coaching opportunity because he didn’t think he had the necessary experience; this time, he wants to try his luck with Detroit again in the hopes of winning a championship.
Although there is little to no chance that Johnson will make the same choice the following season, you have to applaud his loyalty and trust in his ability to win a championship with the Lions.
For the 37-year-old coordinator, the money and interest should be at an all-time high, especially if the newfound success in Detroit keeps up.
The Dallas Cowboys may have had an opportunity in the 2025 off-season as a result of this unexpected move.
Would Dallas Consider Johnson?
In this question, we cannot get ahead of ourselves too much.
We have to think about whether the Cowboys would make the move at all because it would be an unconventional one for them.
Jerry Jones enjoys experience, relationships, and familiarity.
Upon reviewing the whole roster of Cowboys head coaches, several internal promotions and individuals associated with Jones prior to hiring become apparent.
Basically, a lot of the Jones family’s hiring customs would be broken by taking on a young, inexperienced coach like Johnson. Why would they do it, then?
The solution is right there in front of you. Recently, the Cowboys have shown a preference for offensive-minded head coaches.
Dallas sacked defensive mastermind and head coach Wade Phillips in 2010. Ever since, both of Dallas’s head coaches have been play-callers with an emphasis on offence.
If the Cowboys decide to let McCarthy go in 2025, it would be illogical for them to buck the pattern.
With Dak Prescott leading the offence and young weapons like CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson on staff for the foreseeable future, the offence is still this team’s stronger side.
They must therefore take into account Johnson’s extraordinary offensive prowess. By this time next year, he will be the most sought-after offensive-minded coach.
Johnson offers Dallas an enormous opportunity to improve their offence. Even if it requires them to venture outside of their comfort zone, the Cowboys front staff will find it intriguing.
Is Johnson a Good Fit?
The most crucial factor to think about in this situation is whether Johnson would fit in well in Dallas. If things simply don’t add up, neither the organisation nor the coach will be interested.
We have to examine Johnson’s history as a Detroit coach in order to make sense of this.
Johnson’s offence is a major factor in the Lions having just had one of their best seasons in team history.
Jared Goff, a quarterback who does not play in the league’s top elite echelon, had a career year thanks to Johnson’s coaching.
He achieved this by employing the pre-snap motion, simplifying his quarterback’s reads, leveraging the running game, and making the most of Amon-Ra St. Brown, a talented wide receiver.
How nice would that be in Dallas.
Given that Prescott and Lamb are superior to Goff and St. Brown, the Cowboys’ offence may become even more amazing if Johnson were to acquire an improved version of the pair that gave him so much success.
Can It Happen?
Johnson to Dallas initially seemed like a pipe dream.
It all starts to make sense when you realise that McCarthy might not have a job the following off-season and that Johnson probably wants to go after head coaching after this “last dance” with Detroit.
Nevertheless, it requires more than a gap and a candidate to determine if this is a possibility.
There’s more to why this might be a perfect fit than meets the eye; it has to do with Johnson’s scheme and philosophy as well as the distinct advantage Dallas has over other clubs.
The Cowboys suffered another disastrous season if they are looking for a new head coach for the upcoming campaign.
Jones only mentioned this past week that if they put everything on the line and still fail, a significant adjustment needs to be made.
In contrast to McCarthy’s offence, which was 23rd in pre-snap motion this season, Johnson would bring a contemporary approach to the team.
