Lions star reveals what Ben Johnson said about surprising return
Thursday, June 1, 2023: Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, responds to a query before to OTAs at the team’s Allen Park headquarters.
Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, surprised everyone by choosing to stay in his current position rather than take on head coaching duties. His message is evident, at least to one Lions star.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown stated in his weekly “St. Brown Brothers” podcast that he had spoken with Johnson on Tuesday prior to the offensive coordinator making Johnson’s comeback officially known. Johnson expressed his desire to remain in Detroit and his sense of “unfinished business” to St. Brown.
“You did an interview, so what’s up with you, like, are you leaving?” I ask. According to Josh Alper’s transcription of Pro Football Talk, St. Brown stated. “You know what, I’m heading to the facility right now,” he said. He claimed that he had trouble falling asleep the previous evening. After giving it some thought, he declared, “There’s unfinished business.” He desires to remain. His heart is in Detroit, he declared, and he intends to stay. Thus, he disclosed such to me while traveling to the facility.
If the Lions had lost the NFC Championship in a different way, Johnson would have felt differently, but instead they let San Francisco lead 24-7 at halftime. Maybe that was one of the factors that actually made it too hard for Johnson to give up at this point.
According to certain rumors, Johnson was passed up for a head coaching position due to financial difficulties. The talk of “unfinished business” may be a smoke screen, but Lions supporters will take it as the explanation no matter what.
