Speculation about Ben Johnson becoming the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is heating up. While Doug Pederson still remains in place, there's a strong chance the Jags will give him the boot once the season is over. Once they do, they'll make a strong push to hire the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. Working in their favor is that the interest appears to be mutual. On top of that, Johnson could bring in a familiar face with him if gets the job.
Former Jaguars player Greg Huntington says that Mark Brunell told him that Johnson is interested in the Jacksonville job if it becomes available and that he would follow if he gets it.
"The connection that I do have with Mark Burnell, we stay in contact," Huntington told Rick Ballou of 1010 XL. "We text, and we call. And after Detroit destroyed the Jaguars, I texted Mark. I said, 'Move heaven and earth to convince Ben Johnson to take this job if it becomes available.' Talked on the phone together, and he said, 'Look, Ben Johnson wants that job. He likes the idea of Trevor Lawrence.' And of course, if Ben were to come, Mark's going to follow.
Huntington continued, "They're very close. I mean, he's his offensive coordinator. He would be the quarterbacks coach here in Jacksonville for Trevor Lawrence. Of course, you don't know what to believe these days when you see stuff on your phone, or something about, 'Oh, it's already a done deal,' but with Ben Johnson talking behind. I don't know any of that. What I do know from Mark Burnell, who obviously is a 100 percent reliable source, is that Ben Johnson wants this job if it becomes available."
With the offseason inching closer, there's been chatter that Jacskonville is Johnson's favorite landing spot. Prominent NFL voices such as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN certainly think that's the case. Add Huntingon's comments to Ballou, and Jaguars owner Shad Khan should feel good about his chances of landing the hot head-coaching candidate.
Heck, NFL Draft talking head Chad Forbes goes as far as saying that it's a done deal. That's probably hyperbole because the Jags have yet to dismiss Pederson, and another team could swoop in and woo Johnson. That said, it looks like the Jaguars will be able to outbid the Chicago Bears for his services.
Regarding Brunell's interest in following Johnson, Huntington said something interesting. If he were to join his staff, he would do so as the quarterbacks coach, meaning that someone else would be his offensive coordinator. Who would that be? It remains to be seen.
Either way, the prospect of seeing Brunell and Johnson joining forces to get the most out of Trevor Lawrence and get the Jaguars back on track will be too good for Khan to pass up. Below is Huntington's exchange with Ballou.
"Ben Johnson wants this job if it becomes available." 👀
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) January 3, 2025
Are the Jacksonville #Jaguars the leaders in the Ben Johnson sweepstakes...and would a Jags LEGEND be coming along with him?
Former Jaguar Greg "The Mangler" Huntington joins @Ballou1010xl to give the inside scoop on the… pic.twitter.com/PLRDmRY0sw
The Jaguars must tempter expectations but are a realistic destination for Ben Johnson
The Jacksonville Jaguars must be thrilled that their interest in Ben Johnson is reciprocated. Having said that, this is a fluid situation and things could change in the blink of an eye. Not to rain on your parade, but you should remember that Byron Leftwich was seemingly close to becoming the head coach in 2022 but ultimately didn't get the job. This is a different situation, but something similar could happen.
Maybe Johnson and the Jaguars organization don't fully see eye to eye, or maybe the Chicago Bears will step in and give him either more control or a bigger financial incentive. Either way, Khan must open up his wallet and make him an offer he cannot refuse.
When you take into account that the deal would potentially include Mark Brunell, the Jaguars should spare no expense in their pursuit of Ben Johnson.