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Eric Woodyard, ESPN
DETROIT — Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has “unfinished business” remaining in Detroit, according to Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
That’s the reason why Johnson informed other NFL teams that he was staying put with the Lions in his current role instead of pursuing a head coaching role this offseason.
St. Brown talked about Johnson’s return on his “St. Brown Brothers” podcast Wednesday and said Johnson called him yesterday morning and said he was returning because he has more work to accomplish within the organization, which has its eyes on winning a Super Bowl after reaching the NFC Championship Game. St. Brown immediately texted quarterback Jared Goff to share the news.
“I’m like, ‘So what’s up with you, you did an interview, like, are you leaving?'” St. Brown said on the podcast. “He’s like, ‘You know what, I’m on my way to the facility right now.’ He said he couldn’t sleep last night. He was thinking about it, and he said, ‘There’s unfinished business.’ He wants to stay.”
Johnson had interviewed for the head-coaching vacancies with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers before the roles were filled. He also had a chance to pursue the head coaching vacancies with the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks before informing teams that he was staying with the Lions.
Sources also told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that some teams balked at Johnson’s asking price to be a head coach.
“He said his heart is in Detroit, he wants to stay,” St. Brown said on the podcast. “So, he told me that while he was on his way to the facility.”