Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown and the rest of his teammates will be heading into the 2025 season without two coordinators who helped make them a powerhouse in the league.
Ben Johnson is the new head coach of the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, while Aaron Glenn became the head coach of the team that beat him in 1994, the New York Jets.
St. Brown was closer to Johnson, the innovative play-caller who helped orchestrate a Lions offense that led the NFL in points per game. match in 2024.
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Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. (Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images)
Speaking about Johnson’s departure to the Bears on his “St. Brown Podcast” with older brother Equanimeous, St. Brown said he spoke with his former coordinator after he signed his deal to go to the Windy City.
And the message was pretty clear.
“I told him, I said, ‘Twice a year, Ben, we’re going to f— you up,'” St. Brown his brother as he laughed.
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However, Johnson had a similar response to his former student.
“I’m going to f— you up,” recalls St. Brown that Johnson responded.
The relationship is clearly one of mutual respect and competitive banter is something that usually follows there.
“OK, we’ll see,” shot St. Brown back against Johnson. “I told him I know all the plays he likes to run. I know all his tendencies and we went back and forth messing around.”
Although the shocks were playful, St. Brown and Johnson have to turn their friendship aside twice a year as long as Johnson is the head coach of the Bears.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown runs for a touchdown in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Detroit, Nov. 17, 2024 (Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With the conference championship games played this weekend to determine who will play in the Super Bowl, the Lions were expected to be back where they were in January 2024 when they had a second-half collapse against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC title game.
However, the Lions were eliminated in a 45–31 loss at Ford Field to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round, and Johnson was on his way to Chicago days later.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ben Johnson are already at work on their new rivalry. (Imagn)
Johnson has the Bears’ 2024 no. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams, to mold alongside some solid offensive weapons like DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. St. Brown has also shown respect for Williams in the past, especially given their USC connection, but the Lions took down the Bears twice this season.
