Ben Johnson feels like he has some unfinished business left to take care of in Detroit.
Johnson, 36, was a hot candidate for some of this year's head coaching vacancies after leading the Lions' offense to a top five finish in total yards (4th) and points scored (5th) this past season. He interviewed with Carolina, Houston and Indianapolis for their open coaching gigs, but in the end, Johnson took his name out of consideration for those jobs.
"It's really simple for me," Johnson told detroitlions.com and the Twentyman in the Huddle podcast on Wednesday. "It starts with this place and these people. Been here four years now and I believe in (principal owner) Sheila (Hamp) and what she's doing. (Team president) Rod Wood. Dan (Campbell), Brad (Holmes). It starts at the top and trickles down.
"This is as encouraged [as I've been] in my four years with the direction of the Lions and where we're headed."
Johnson told a story about going to a Garth Brooks concert at Ford Field during one of his first offseasons in Detroit after coming over from the Miami Dolphins staff.
"I was thinking at the time and soaking in the atmosphere, and it was like, 'Holy cow, this is what a home playoff game is going to be like, and this is what I want to be a part of. This is what I want to feel. This is what I want to experience.'
"It made me feel some type of way and I kept going back to that as part of the process and you know what, there are so many good things going on here. So many good people, coaches, players, I love the offensive staff and everyone we have on board there. I love the players. I love coming into work every day. Coach Campbell is incredible, and so end of the day talking with my family it just made sense. Don't ruin a good thing."
In his first year as offensive coordinator, the Lions' offense finished third in the NFL with 6,460 total net years (4,281 passing & 2,170 rushing), fourth in touchdowns scored (54), fourth in total first downs (376) and first in fewest turnovers (15) in the league. It was the first time in franchise history the Lions threw for at least 4,000 yards and rushed for at least 2,000 yards in a single season.
Johnson's offense scored 30-or-more points in eight games this season, tied for the most in the NFL, which also established a new franchise record in a single season.
He and his offensive coaching staff are currently in the self-scout phase of the offseason, and he's already marveled at how far they've come compared to where they were last year at this time. A math major at UNC, Johnson had a good analogy to explain the process.
"I think the most encouraging thing is where we can get to because we'll make a huge jump here between Year 1 and Year 2 in this offense as we clean up the details," he said. "There will be less thinking and more reacting. The conversations we're having now as a coaching staff are like calculus as compared to the pre-algebra we were doing a year ago this time."
It's easy to see how this offense can be even better in 2023 with Johnson's return. Quarterback Jared Goff is feeling at home in the system, one of the best offensive lines in football is all under contract, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a budding superstar in the slot, and dynamic rookie Jameson Williams will have a full offseason to prepare.
The offensive line in particular is the key to it all for Johnson, who sleeps well at night knowing the big guys upfront are back to lead the way.
View photos of the running back prospects who were invited to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
Pittsburgh running back Israel Abanikanda (2) makes a long run for a touchdown against Virginia Tech during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Texas A&M running back Devon Achane (6) carries the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. A&M won 23-21. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Auburn running back Tank Bigsby (4) carries the ball as he gets around Alabama defensive back Eli Ricks (7) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Illinois running back Chase Brown (2) runs with the ball against Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)
UCLA running back Zach Charbonnet (24) runs to the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford in Pasadena, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Southern California running back Travis Dye (26) scores a rushing touchdown against Washington State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Louisville running back Tiyon Evans (7) runs with the ball for a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Clemson, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Mississippi running back Zach Evans (6) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Troy in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs (1) carries the ball against Kansas State during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Oklahoma running back Eric Gray (0) carries as UTEP safety Kobe Hylton (2) defends in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Northwestern running back Evan Hull, right, runs for a touchdown past Ohio State safety Ronnie Hickman during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim (24) in action against Iowa during the first half an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Minneapolis. Iowa won 13-10. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Texas running back Roschon Johnson (2) runs upfield during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Dallas. Texas won 49-0. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke (44) runs against Montana State during the first half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game in Frisco, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
UAB running back DeWayne McBride (22) breaks free for a touchdown run during the first half of the Independence Bowl NCAA college football game against BYU in Shreveport, La., Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh (6) runs against Ohio State during the first half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football semifinal playoff game, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
TCU running back Kendre Miller (33) escapes the grasp of Oklahoma defensive back Kani Walker (26) to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
East Carolina's Keaton Mitchell (2) breaks the tackle of North Carolina State's Shyheim Battle (25) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Greenville, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
Appalachian State running back Camerun Peoples (6) runs past North Carolina defensive lineman Desmond Evans (10) for a touchdown with Appalachian State tight end Henry Pearson (88) following during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday Sept. 3, 2022, in Boone, N.C. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay)
Tulsa running back Deneric Prince runs against South Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Texas running back Bijan Robinson celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Kansas during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (24) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
Tulane running back Tyjae Spears (22) runs with the ball during the first half of the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football game against Southern California, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
Utah running back Tavion Thomas (9) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona State, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
FILE -Texas Tech's SaRodorick Thompson (4) runs to score a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in Lubbock, Texas. Ole Miss looks to end a disappointing season on a positive note Wednesday night, Dec. 28, 2022 when the Rebels meet Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl. Texas Tech has a talented running back duo in SaRodorick Thompson and Tahj Brooks. Thompson leads Texas Tech with 670 yards rushing. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson, File)
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker (34) rushes during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina State on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)
FILE - Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn (22) carries the ball against Texas during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Manhattan, Kan. Vaughn was selected to The Associated Press All-America team released Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann, File)
"That's why I'm back," Johnson joked.
"It's everything. I'm telling you right now. When we did the run game last week I kept saying over and over, 'surge, surge, surge.' It didn't matter what scheme we were running, displacement of the line of scrimmage was happening on a regular basis. That's a testament to them. They are phenomenal.
"Coach (Hank) Fraley does a great job with them. And like I said before, there's still room for growth in that room. We are going to coach them hard when they get back and we're going to continue to take that next step.
So what is Johnson looking forward to most when the players get back in the spring and they start building the 2023 version of the Lions' offense?
"The challenge of getting the players back in and learning from what we put on tape last year to take the next step," Johnson said. "I don't know if it's reinventing the wheel and coming up with all these brand-new plays. That's not it. The secret sauce is the teaching and executing just a little bit better than what we did a year ago."
