For weeks, the biggest open secret in NFL circles was that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was slated to be the next head coach of the Washington Commanders.
Until he wasn’t.
After numerous media members called Johnson to Washington a “lock” or his signing with the Commanders a “foregone conclusion,” on Tuesday, as Washington was on a flight to interview him a second time, Johnson texted Commanders’ brass and said he was staying in Detroit.
Fans were stunned. Media members were shocked. How did this happen? Washington fans were dreaming of pairing a top-flight GM [Adam Peters] with the hottest offensive coach on the market and a fresh young quarterback.
It wasn’t meant to be, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter pumped the brakes on Johnson to Washington on Monday while all of his peers remained confident.
Schefter was right.
Why did Johnson withdraw his name from all coaching opportunities and return to Detroit? While he said he had unfinished business with the Lions, it’s almost unheard of for a coaching candidate as hot as Johnson to back out of head coaching opportunities in two consecutive years.
On Thursday, Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network joined the “Puck & Jim Show” out of Seattle and gave some insight into the Washington and Seattle head coaching moves. Johnson was a reported finalist for both jobs.
Why didn’t Johnson land a job?
“I don’t think he interviewed particularly well,” Garafolo said. “Johnson withdrew, and he withdrew as Washington was coming to see him, which did not go over well at all with the Washington organization. But, I believe he withdrew from two coaching searches that he wouldn’t have gotten the job anyway. So, that’s the old ‘I’m not fired, I quit,’ one of those deals. So, I don’t think he really bowled people over in the interview process at all. And I’ve heard that his personality, you know, he’s very smart, very bright, a great play-caller, but I’ve heard that his personality is kind of…..not the most gregarious guy. Not a Mike Macdonald-type guy or even a Dan Quinn-type guy, so I think that came across in the interview process. My belief is that he came into this; Adam Peters had Ben Johnson as his guy. And Adam Peters was not the only one making the decision there in Washington. Which is not to say he was undermined, but [advisor] Rick Spielman was involved, Josh Harris, obviously the owner of the organization, [advisor] Bob Myers involved as well, so four people who came to a collective decision, and it was not going to be Ben Johnson.”
So, why would Washington fly out to interview him after it was determined that he wasn’t the guy?
“Became they were going to see him and [defensive coordinator] Aaron Glenn, and they don’t like the fact they are making this trip, and you can’t tell us before we get off the ground? Give me a break. Yes, they were interviewing him as part of the process, but I do not believe that he was the leading candidate at the time he withdrew,” Garafolo said.
“In fact, I think he was pretty low on their list at that point. And it was Anthony Weaver, defensive line coach of the Ravens, who did extremely well. I heard great things about him. Aaron Glenn was eliminated, I believe, late last night. So I think it was down to Weaver and Dan Quinn. So they had other guys they really hit it off better with than Ben Johnson.”
Garafolo confirmed that Washington was in on Macdonald, and Quinn was higher on the list than Johnson. Garafolo praised the Quinn hire.
So, for those who say Peters and Washington bungled the process, it sounds more like Johnson bungled the process, and maybe the Commanders dodged a bullet. That’s not to say Johnson isn’t an excellent offensive coordinator, but perhaps he realized he wasn’t ready to become a head coach.
