Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is scheduled to interview on Friday for the New England Patriots head coaching job. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on Wednesday.
Johnson’s offense in Detroit was the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the league in 2024. The Lions averaged 33.2 points per game and 409.5 total yards per game. Only the Baltimore Ravens had a high yardage total.
Johnson worked his way up from offensive quality control coach to offensive coordinator for the Lions in 2022. It was reported earlier in the week that the Patriots had planned to interview Johnson. They are also set to interview Mike Vrabel on Thursday.
Both candidates are believed to be the top two available options in the 2025 coaching cycle.
The Patriots have mostly hired defensive-minded coaches. So Johnson would be a change from that line of thinking. His offensive background could be a strong fit for the continued development of Drake Maye and the overall offensive unit.
