Ben Johnson not a ‘slam dunk’ for Commanders job?

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson answers a question before OTAs at Detroit Lions headquarters in Allen Park on Thursday, June 1, 2023. Photo Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has long been viewed as a favorite to land the Washington Commanders head coach job, but a new report is suggesting that is far from a done deal.

In an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested that Johnson is not a lock to get the Washington job. The Commanders are still looking at other candidates, and the search is not finished.

"I'm not convinced yet that Ben Johnson is getting the Commanders job..

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" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ZZwyqNaKyF

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 29, 2024

“I’m not convinced yet that Ben Johnson is getting the Commanders job,” Schefter said. “I know people have said that he’s the presumptive favorite, and he may get the job, but that is not a slam dunk at all right now. They are definitely looking at other people as well. Again, they may come back to Ben Johnson, but I think they’re pretty impressed with Mike Macdonald and Aaron Glenn and Anthony Weaver as well, and I think those guys are going to have a legitimate chance to get that job.”

Schefter’s report is backed by the fact that Macdonald, the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, is set to meet with Commanders ownership on Monday. One would expect that neither side would take that step unless they were serious about the candidacy.

Johnson has been considered a lock for the Washington job in some circles. That may prove premature, and there remains an outside chance that Johnson does not land a head coaching job at all, which would presumably suit the Lions.