Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left the team to take the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job on Monday.
Super Bowl champion Lomas Brown talked about what Lions fans are going through losing their top coordinator after a crushing playoff loss during a recent appearance on OutKick’s “Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich.”
“I know it’s another body blow. You know the old game, body blow, body blow… It was a big one yesterday,” Brown said. “Everybody on talk radio, that was the topic yesterday, Ben Johnson leaving. Oh my god, you got so many fans mad at Ben for taking the job in Chicago. I think it’s more, not him leaving, but more of the job that he accepts because of how bitter rivals we are with Chicago.
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Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. (Daniel Barte/IImagn Images)
“Now we got to face him twice a year. It just made the division even more difficult when Ben Johnson went in there. And a lot of the emotion before he took the job was that Ben didn’t want to take that job because he knew that he would have to go up against his good friend Dan Campbell twice a year, but many people are not happy with this.
The no. 1-seeded Lions were upset by the no. 6-seeded Washington Commanders, 45-31, Saturday.
Brown said the loss of Johnson, especially to a division rival, and potentially other top assistants would make the loss to the Commanders that much more painful.
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Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches a game against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field in Chicago on Dec. 22, 2024. (Imagn)
“A lot of people aren’t happy with it around here and I think that again is, I just think a lot of it is from the results of the game and just everything that’s going on the last few days around here. It culminates with Ben Johnson taking the job and d—, we’re going to lose other assistants,” Brown said.
“I mean Aaron Glenn, you might be talking about (offensive line coach) Hank Fraley. Those are other assistants that we’re going to lose on this team. That’s why this was the year for us to get it done.”
Glenn was scheduled to interview with the New York Jets for the second time for their head coaching position on Tuesday, according to the NFL Network.
Tuesday’s interview will be the first in-person meeting between the Jets and Glenn.
Lions legend Lomas Brown speaks during a Ring of Honor induction ceremony during halftime of a game between the Detroit Lions and the Las Vegas Raiders at Ford Field in Detroit on Oct. 30, 2023. (Imagn)
Fraley will be interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position on Tuesday, according to ESPN. It will be Fraley’s second interview with the team and their first in-person interview.
Brown spent 18 seasons in the NFL and was with the Lions for 11 of them. Brown was a star left tackle and made the Pro Bowl seven consecutive seasons from 1990-1996.
Brown won a Super Bowl in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.
