Lions star reveals what Ben Johnson said about surprising return

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

The Detroit Lions received a pleasant surprise when offensive coordinator Ben Johnson decided to pass on head coaching opportunities and come back in his current role. His message, at least to at one Lions star, is clear.

In his weekly “St. Brown Brothers” podcast, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said he had spoken to Johnson on Tuesday before the offensive coordinator publicly confirmed his return. Johnson told St. Brown that he wanted to stay and that he felt he had “unfinished business” in Detroit.

“I’m like, ‘So what’s up with you, you did an interview, like, are you leaving?'” St. Brown said, as transcribed by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “He’s like, ‘You know what, I’m on my way to the facility right now.’ He said he couldn’t sleep last night. He was thinking about it and he said ‘There’s unfinished business.’ He wants to stay. … He said his heart is in Detroit, he wants to stay. So he told me that while he was on his way to the facility.”

Johnson might have felt differently if the Lions had lost the NFC Championship in a different manner, but they blew a 24-7 halftime lead to San Francisco. Perhaps that really did play a role in making it too tough for Johnson to walk away now.

There were some reports that suggested Johnson did not get a head coaching job for financial reasons. Perhaps the “unfinished business” talk is a way of spinning it, but Lions fans will embrace that as the reason no matter what.