We finally have some light on what transpired between Ben Johnson and the Washington Commanders after he allegedly declined their head coaching job offer. Although the specifics of the sources remain mysterious, ESPN’s reporter Jenna Laine has recently provided some insights into Johnson’s views on the Commanders’ ownership. The revelation has left many fans curious about the dynamics of this situation.
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Jenna Laine generally covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. However, she reported that Ben Johnson withdrew from consideration for the Washington Commanders’ head coaching job due to being “turned off” by ownership. Laine noted that Johnson perceived them as “basketball guys” and felt they exuded overconfidence in their football opinions.
Moreover, what caused the stir were multiple news pieces mentioning that Johnson “didn’t interview well,” leading to the conclusion of the decision by both parties. Earlier, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo provided quite interesting details about Ben Johnson’s coaching interviews with the Washington Commanders and the Seattle Seahawks.
He reported that Johnson struggled in his initial interview with the Commanders, and that made the franchise develop some reservations. The team reportedly proceeded with a second interview despite those concerns. However, Johnson notably canceled the follow-up interview with the Commanders while they were en route to Detroit to meet him.
Ben Johnson has been remarkable as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator in his second season. He managed to turn around the offense in a major way — three of them would even represent the franchise in the Pro Bowl. Moreover, Johnson did all this with a solid yet unspectacular quarterback, Jared Goff.
Ben Johnson and Commander’s Saga Gets Varied Responses from NFL World
Ben Johnson has the ability to get the most out of his players, and that has brought a lot of attention to his coaching style. All the more, it is also the reason behind fans not being able to believe how the whole situation between him and the commanders turned out. They expressed dissatisfaction with the situation on social media. Some questioned the timing, wondering why the Commanders waited until Johnson ruled himself out to hire a coach from a team eliminated two weeks ago.
Mocking the notion of a poor interview, another fan sarcastically commented on flying up for a second interview if the initial one went poorly, saying, “The copium is hitting too hard.”
There were several critics who labeled Ben Johnson as unfit for a head coach position, calling him out for being soft and full of red flags. One fan likened him to an “Adam Gase disaster.” He further pointed out Johnson’s apparent comfort in the shadows compared to a more assertive figure like Dan Campbell controlling the locker room and team.
It causes no harm to say that it was Ben Johnson’s offense and Dan Campbell’s determination that the Lions could find themselves in playoff contention. Therefore, his methods are certainly worth keeping an eye on. Now, it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop the Lions’ offense.
