BREAKING: Ben Johnson Says 'No' to Commanders, Remains with Lions

Ben Johnson is returning to the Detroit Lions, meaning the Washington Commanders won't hire him.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 30, 2024

BREAKING: Ben Johnson Says 'No' to Commanders, Remains with Lions /

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The Washington Commanders' coaching candidate pool has lost a member.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has informed the Commanders that he isn't interested in leaving his team.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches warm up before the Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 :: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Johnson, 37, was reportedly the favorite for the Commanders job and Washington had waited weeks to interview him in person after the Lions were eliminated in the NFC Championship Game. However, Johnson is turning down the chance to become a head coach this year in hopes to lead the Lions to the Super Bowl in 2024.

Johnson turning down the offer leads to truth from what ESPN's Adam Schefter said on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday.

"I'm not convinced yet that Ben Johnson is getting the Commanders job," Schefter said. "People think Ben Johnson is going to Washington and Dan Quinn is going to Seattle ... I will bet you at a minimum that one of those isn't right and maybe both."

Commanders Coach Target Mike Macdonald: 'Defensive Sean McVay', Says Insider

With Johnson out of the mix, Baltimore Ravens coaches Mike Macdonald and Anthony Weaver, as well as Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn remain candidates for the job. The team could also still hire Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik or promote offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, though those options aren't as likely.

Published Jan 30, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.