How the Detroit Lions Will Recover After Losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn | DAZN News US
For the second consecutive January, Dan Campbell and his Detroit Lions have faced the disappointment of a playoff loss.
A year ago, the Lions squandered a 17-point halftime lead against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, while last weekend, the NFC’s top seed was eliminated early in the playoffs after being defeated by the revitalized Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round.
One consequence of success in the NFL is that your coaching staff often gets poached, with coordinators being sought after for head coach positions elsewhere. As the Lions recover from their loss, they must now contend with the departure of two key figures.
Following the defeat to the Commanders, both the offensive and defensive coordinators have left, with Ben Johnson becoming the new head coach of NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears, and Aaron Glenn being appointed as the New York Jets’ new head coach on Wednesday.
This leaves Campbell and Lions general manager Brad Holmes with a busy offseason ahead, with Holmes moving quickly to reassure fans that Johnson and Glenn’s exits will not disrupt the team’s progress next season.
“We were ready to lose those guys,” Holmes said in a post-season press conference. “Both are excellent coaches, and we were fortunate to have them this year. But I know Dan has been preparing for this, and I fully trust him to bring in the right people. He’s dealt with similar situations before, though not at the coordinator level, and it’s always worked out.”
Holmes also acknowledged that the Lions’ success over the past two seasons, which includes a strong 27-7 regular-season record, increases the likelihood of more coaching departures.
“It’s tough to keep the good ones. When other teams want to take our guys, you have to be ready for it.”
