Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, was widely considered the front-runner for the head coach position of the Washington Commanders. However, he abruptly withdrew from consideration while the team was getting ready for a follow-up interview. Reports of why things transpired as they did are starting to appear.
On Friday, conflicting reports started to surface, implying that both parties were pointing the finger at the other for the failed match. During an interview with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on “Puck & Jim” on 950 KJR in Seattle, Garafolo stated that Johnson had a bad interview with the Commanders and was probably not the front-runner for the position at that time.
But according to Jenna Laine of ESPN on Saturday, Johnson was “turned off” by Washington ownership and thought they were “basketball guys” with excessively strong football expertise. Laine did mention that she had also heard that Johnson had a terrible interview.
Report: Commanders and Ben Johnson had serious misgivings about one another.
Given that the hiring was reportedly seen as inevitable in certain quarters, Johnson and the Commanders appear to be attempting to save face by implying the other was the issue. Although Johnson has admitted to players in private that he believes he has unfinished business in Detroit, there have also been allegations that he was making excessively high demands for money. Johnson, who has been considered a top possibility for head coach for the past two offseasons, reportedly wanted to be extremely selective about job opportunities and truly only wanted one of the positions that eventually became available.
It is possible that during the interview process, Johnson and the Commanders, who at first thought they were a perfect match, began to have serious reservations about one another. The Commanders will hope for the best under new coach Dan Quinn, while Johnson will probably have opportunities to pursue other careers in the future.
