Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has played a massive role in turning the Detroit Lions into a legitimate contender. That's why he's the crown jewel of this coaching cycle. But leaving aside his results on the field, the Jacksonville Jaguars must go all-in on him because of his traits off of it.
Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit recently made an apperance on 1010 XL to talk about Johnson. He says that the Lions coordinator's talent goes beyond Xs & Os and always wants maximum effort from his players, pointing out that it may rub some people the wrong way, but that's what makes in a great leader of man. Here's the skinny.
"He has offensive linemen submit their favorite plays every single week and makes that part of the game plan if he likes it too," Reisman said. "And so again, it's that collaborative effort that I think players certainly love, that empowerment that it gives them. And it shows that, again, he is not kind of this ego at the top that everyone has, else has to follow. So I think that's a positive sign. He does get prickly at times. He's definitely the loudest guy out there on the field because he has a pretty high standard for excellence."
Reisman continued, "He's a very detail-oriented guy when it comes to game planning and footwork and all those things. So that has the, I guess, chance to rub people the wrong way if they don't like getting yelled at, necessarily, but it's not an ego thing with him. It's more of a demand of excellence, so I wouldn't bet against them when it comes to being a true leader, rather than just being a playbook."
You won't often hear about coaches asking their offensive linemen to give their input to the playbook. Maybe some do, but it's not highly publicized. This is why Reisman's comments stand out a bit. Either way, most clubs would love to have a leader like Johnson.
On the other hand, it's good to hear that Johnson is more than a good playcaller and has what it takes to coach a whole team, not just one side of the ball. Unfortunately, the Jags are seemingly hurting their chances of hiring him because of general manager Trent Baalke.
Johnson has made it clear that he wants to work with a general manager who shares his vision. Baalke may not fit the bill, as he's known as being difficult to work with. Moreover, he feuded with the Jaguars' coaching staff last year and with Jim Harbaugh when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. There's clearly a pattern, and it could most definitely be a turnoff for the Lions' offensive coordinator.
In fact, having Baalke around will keep several coaching candidates away from the Jaguars. One of them has already said that he's less inclined to take the job because of their controversial general manager. Here's the clip.
"It's not an ego thing with (Ben Johnson), it's a demand of excellence."
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) January 14, 2025
Lions beat writer @DetroitOnLion on his assessment of the #Jaguars HC candidate's coaching qualities. #Jaguars | #DUUUVAL @MiaOBrienTV @TayDoll1010xl @1010XLLauren pic.twitter.com/Rj8hSYqy4E
Firing Trent Baalke increases the Jaguars' chances of firing Ben Johnson
The Jacksonville Jaguars have already made it clear that they're willing to move on from Trent Baalke if that gives them a better chance to land their preferred candidate. That said, they should've already given him the boot a while back. Why wait until they think they'd found their guy to do it? Why not just go ahead and do it now?
Owner Shad Khan has stated that he's confident in Baalke's football acumen, but most observers agree that he's becoming a hindrance in their search for a coaching candidate.
Granted, the process is still ongoing, but if they want to ensure that Johnson doesn't bolt for the Las Vegas Raiders or any other team, Jacskonville must pull the trigger as soon as possible.