We don’t yet know who will be the primary offensive play-caller for the Detroit Lions in 2022. Head coach Dan Campbell declared at OTAs this week that he’s not ready to make the decision “until the season’s almost here”.
But if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson gets the playcalling nod, the rookie OC will be ready. Johnson, who stepped into a more prominent role late in the 2021 season, talked up his confidence and his experience at calling plays.
“I’m confident I’m ready, I am,” Johnson said this week. “Once again, you got to be put in those situations to truly know, but our game planning process is so detailed that I think on game day it takes care of itself. Because you know exactly what you want and where you want.”
Johnson also cited his time with the Miami Dolphins, where he served in several offensive coaching capacities — including a stint as the TE coach under then-interim head coach Dan Campbell in 2015.
“The five percent that gets hard is the end of the game, end of the half situations where the clock is running, you got to think quickly,” Johnson stated. “And those are the situations I actually have experience with from my time in Miami, doing that in practice with some of our guys. So I know what pitfalls there potentially are. It’s a learning experience, no doubt about it, but it’s one I certainly feel confident about.”
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