New Lions offensive coordinator John Morton was on Dan Campbell's staff in 2022 as an offensive assistant where he helped create a lot of the concepts that has led to the Detroit Lions having one of the best offenses in the NFL over the last two seasons.
It was Ben Johnson's first year as offensive coordinator, and Morton worked closely with quarterback Jared Goff, building Detroit's offensive schemes that have been one of the best in the NFL over the last two years.
"I was just there like, 'Ben, what do you need? Dan, what do you guys need? Just tell me what you want.' It was a lot of stuff I was doing when I was in Vegas with (Jon) Gruden or just in the past because I kind of know what works."
Morton has a unique ability to look at personnel and find what players do well, and he's considered an ideas man when it comes to offense.
"People that hire me is because I do research," Morton said. "What is going to work for this player? It's a lot of ideas. I just throw everything at them. That's the way it was at the beginning of my coaching career. When I first started with Gruden. It's like, 'Give me ideas.' Whether he puts it in or not I just keep bringing them."
Morton worked closely with Goff when he was on the Lions staff in 2022 and the two have a very good working relationship. Campbell said that was going to be important in the hiring of a new offensive coordinator because he wanted continuity on offense moving forward.
Morton said working with the quarterbacks in Las Vegas and Detroit was big for him because he believes good offensive football starts with understanding good technique at the quarterback position and the process of how the quarterback thinks. He learned a lot about the quarterback position inside and out over the years and thinks that will help him as a play caller and offensive coordinator in Detroit.
His key role in teaching quarterbacks third down and red zone offense over the years has really developed his offensive perspective as a whole.
"He's super passionate and he works his tail off. He's great with film study and ideas. He's one of those guys that will bring you red zone third down like a lot of information," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday of Morton, who served as the Broncos pass game coordinator the last two seasons.
"We were together in New Orleans several times. And then it's a chance where he's going to be calling the plays. And so, I was just with Dan Campbell a few minutes ago. Maybe an hour ago and we were talking about him. He'll do a great job."
Morton is super excited to work with the weapons they have on offense in Detroit. The Lions have a top five quarterback (Goff), wide receiver (Amon-Ra St. Brown), right tackle (Penei Sewell), center (Frank Ragnow), running back (Jahmyr Gibbs) and tight end (Sam LaPorta).
"I know it's fun, isn't it. I'm like a kid in a candy store. It's Christmas all over again. I love that part. I live for game planning. I love all the way up to the game. That's the chess match. When the game starts, it's a chess match. You have to talk about those different scenarios when the game starts. Game planning, I just love that part. I'll just stay all day and all night.
"I'm just looking for that play to help us win the game. You know what I mean? Whatever that is. That's what drives me to win. I just think it's cool when you have all these pieces."
Morton thinks he has a lot of pieces on offense that makes a defense have to prepare for a lot and he's prepared to make sure they have a lot of concepts on offense that make defenses fear playing this offense. How does Morton make it even more explosive moving forward? That's his task and something he's set on figuring out.
He said his offense will have carryover from the scheme that's been so successful the last two seasons. Why fix it if it isn't broken?
"I think it's going to be a lot of carry over," he said. "I think it would be a little bit crazy if we didn't continue to do what players – we want them to continue to play fast, right? The plays, I don't think all that is going to change as much."
Morton, a Detroit native, wants to run an offense that takes care of the football and generates explosive plays. He wants to win a Super Bowl and thinks he has the right staff and right players to make that a reality in Detroit.
