Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton made it clear he had no issue with head coach Dan Campbell assuming control of the offensive play-calling.
Speaking for the first time since Campbell took over the headset during Detroit’s Week 10 demolition of the Washington Commanders, Morton delivered a message of full support.
“I’m completely behind the decision,” Morton said Thursday, according to the Detroit News. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve worked for head coaches who handle the play-calling themselves. That’s nothing new for me. I’m proud of the work I’ve done, and of course I still have areas to grow.
But at the end of the day, my mindset is simple: whatever helps us win. When he told me he was taking over, my reaction was basically, ‘All right, let’s roll. What needs to happen next?’ That’s how I’ve always approached this job. I’ve been cut as a player, I’ve been fired — you just keep moving forward. It’s always about the team.”
Detroit responded with its most productive outing of the season: 546 total yards, 226 on the ground, 30 first downs, and not a single punt. The Lions scored on all eight drives before kneeling out the clock.
Morton acknowledged that the offense finally felt “in rhythm” after weeks of sensing that something wasn’t quite right.
“You could see it,” he said. “We had a series where every play seemed to go for a first down. I joke about it being like CFL football — first down, second down, over and over — maybe even like Tecmo Bowl. Everything just synced up. We’ve had flashes before, but last week everything truly clicked.”
Washington’s defense, which has been one of the league’s weakest and most mistake-ridden units, undoubtedly helped. Following the loss, Dan Quinn took over defensive play-calling duties for the Commanders.
The real test for Detroit’s revamped play-calling structure will come when the Lions face an Eagles defense that just stifled the Packers in Week 10. That matchup should offer a clearer picture of whether the Lions’ explosive showing was the result of Campbell’s influence or simply facing an overwhelmed opponent.
Campbell has said he’s open to giving Morton the play-calling reins back later this season. Similar to a quarterback watching from the sideline, the hope is that the pause helps Morton better understand the overall vision for the offense.
Morton compared the situation to losing a starting job.
“It’s like being told you’re not the starter anymore,” he said. “‘Okay, what do I have to do to earn it back?’ If someone tells you you’re being demoted, you don’t just shut down. You fight your way back. That’s what we expect from our players, and that’s what we expect from ourselves. We don’t bring in people who quit. We want fighters who do whatever’s necessary.”
The Lions used play-action on 51.4 percent of their dropbacks in Week 10 — their highest rate of the season. Prior to that, they had used it on 28 percent of dropbacks, which still ranked eighth in the NFL (they led the league in 2024 at 36.8 percent).
Jared Goff has averaged 9.9 yards per attempt off play-action this year, third-best behind Sam Darnold (14.8) and Lamar Jackson (13.5). Goff also leads the league with 1,939 play-action passing yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024.
