Tag: Ben Johnson

Where are the Commanders in their search for a new coach?

What’s the latest on Washington’s head coaching search?

The 2024 NFL hiring cycle is now completed, as each NFL head coach opening has been filled.

Oh wait, there is that one opening that is frustrating for Washington fans. Is the cause-and-effect relationship of Daniel Snyder owning the team still producing such negative perceptions that the Commanders are still being rejected?

We don’t really know at this time. Could it be Washington owner Josh Harris and new GM Adam Peters have set boundaries or standards, and it is, in fact, Washington that has yet to make the move?

Wednesday saw Ravens’ DC Mike Macdonald accept the Seahawks head coaching position, though Macdonald’s wife is from the DMV area and was even a cheerleader for the Redskins!

During this hiring cycle, the Chargers have hired Jim Harbaugh, the Falcons grabbed Raheem Morris. The Titans made Brian Callahan their new man, while the Raiders promoted former Washington linebacker Antonio Pierce from interim head coach to head coach.

Jerod Mayo was the man Robert Kraft wanted to follow Bill Belichick in New England. Panthers owner David Tepper tapped the least known of the candidates, Dave Canales, for their new head coach.

Might it be that the Commanders have actually been rejected this hiring cycle, each time they have asked for a date to the dance?

What about Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn? Why have the Commanders interviewed Quinn a second time and not yet named him their head coach? We don’t know the reason, but we do know it takes two to agree to dance.

If Harris and Peters really wanted Quinn, hasn’t he been available to be hired since the Cowboys Wild Card round playoff loss to the Packers? Does Quinn really want to come to Washington? Or might Quinn actually be willing to wait one more season in Dallas for their head coaching job next offseason?

Now that all the other head coaching jobs are taken, what is the hurry for the Commanders? They could theoretically take their time, introducing another prospect they have yet to interview. For example, might Peters now be interested in Mike Vrabel?

Or might they now limit the list of prospects to three: Aaron Glenn (Lions DC), Anthony Weaver (Ravens DL), and Dan Quinn?

The search continues for the Commanders.

One thing we should all recognize by now is that we have no idea where they are in their process.

Do the Commanders have a mystery head coaching candidate?

Four of the initial eight candidates to interview with Washington remain available.

And then there was one.

After the Seattle Seahawks agreed to terms with Mike Macdonald, the former Ravens defensive coordinator, on Wednesday to become their new head coach, the Washington Commanders were the only remaining head coaching vacancy.

On Tuesday, the perceived top candidate, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, surprised everyone by withdrawing his name. Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who interviewed with Washington, was announced as returning to Houston. It’s unknown how serious of a candidate Slowik was for the Commanders.

Washington fans clamored for Macdonald. There wasn’t as much enthusiasm for Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Entering this week, we know that Washington has interviewed the following eight candidates:

  • Lions OC Ben Johnson (remaining in Detroit)
  • Lions DC Aaron Glenn
  • Ravens DC Mike Macdonald (Seattle)
  • Ravens AHC/DL coach Anthony Weaver
  • Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy
  • Texans OC Bobby Slowik (remaining in Houston)
  • Rams DC Raheem Morris (Atlanta)
  • Cowboys DC Dan Quinn (Cowboys)

So, if we go by this list, four candidates remain. How serious of a candidate is Bieniemy? Or was this a courtesy interview because he was in the organization last year?

By all accounts, Quinn, Weaver and Glenn are the final candidates. We’ve heard rave reviews about Quinn and Weaver, but if one of them is Washington’s guy, why haven’t they been hired?

What if there is another candidate we don’t know about? It’s not going to be Bill Belichick. What about Mike Vrabel? How about Dolphins OC Frank Smith? Is there someone else?

Could Peters be waiting to interview someone from Kansas City or San Francisco’s staff after the Super Bowl? The two logical candidates would be 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Since the Commanders are the only team remaining with a vacancy, they may not feel the urgency to get something done. But the new head coach will need to complete his coaching staff. And if Washington lands a defensive-minded coach — which looks like a certainty — it must land a quality offensive coordinator.

The Commanders could expand their search. However, that appears doubtful as all signs point to either Quinn, Glenn, or Weaver at this point.

Texans OC Bobby Slowik also off the table for Seahawks head coach job

According to Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated, he got a significant raise to stay.

If the Seahawks had their hearts set on hiring one of the NFL’s bright young offensive minds, their options have diminished this week. Yesterday we learned that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told Seattle and Washington that he’s staying in Detroit to try to win a Super Bowl.

We also learned that Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is staying in Houston. According to Albert Breer at Sports Illustrated, he got a significant raise to stay.

Slowik did brilliant work this season with C.J. Stroud, who had the best rookie season of any quarterback since Cam Newton and has a skillset that’s similar to Geno Smith’s.

It would have been interesting to see what Slowik or Johnson might have done with this Seattle offense, but the team still has choices if they want to go this route, defying the conventional wisdom that they’re looking for a defensive candidate. According to the latest reporting from ESPN, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka is a candidate to watch if they don’t end up hiring Mike Macdonald.

More Seahawks Wire stories

7 Seahawks players who could see a bigger role in 2024

8 grades for Seattle rookies from the 2023 NFL season

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson staying with Detroit

Ben Johnson informed NFL clubs he is sticking around with the Lions for another season.

There was quite a bit of buzz going into this offseason about one of the best offensive minds in the league in Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson being available for head coaching duties. Today he may have squashed the dreams of multiple teams as he informed NFL clubs he will be sticking around in Detroit to run it back for the 2024 season.

Johnson has been one of the big reasons for an offensive revive in Detroit and has helped revive a somewhat stalled career of quarterback Jared Goff. Detroit was the third best scoring offense in the league and pushed themselves all the way to the NFC Championship game where they hung 31 points on one of the league’s best defenses in a losing effort.

With a bright future ahead of him and free Detroit pizzas for life, Johnson is going to remain one of the best in the business for the foreseeable future. With a championship ring just within reach for the Lions and company, Ben Johnson could be the thing that keeps them stable enough to be in the big game next year. Either way Johnson should end up as a head coach eventually, and will continue to build upon his impressive coaching resume.

Detroit Lions Podcast: Senior Bowl Day 1 wrap and Ben Johnson returns

Live from radio row at the Senior Bowl, the latest episode breaks down Ben Johnson’s return and the first day of Senior Bowl practices

The latest edition of the Detroit Lions Podcast is now available to stream and listen to on YouTube or your favorite podcast provider. We recorded live from radio row in Mobile for the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The first half of the show is dedicated to Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit. The offensive coordinator spurned the lucrative advances of the Commanders and Seahawks and chose to stay with Dan Campbell and the Lions.

The second half focuses on what we saw during the first day pf practices in Mobile. Which players stood out as potential Lions? Which ones look less appealing after the first session?

10 standouts from Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice

Some players that stood out from the first day of Senior Bowl practice.

Tuesday was a notable day across the NFL. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson shocked several across the league by removing his name from consideration to become the next head coach of either the Commanders or Seahawks.

Meanwhile, the Commanders interviewed Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, while the Seahawks interviewed Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.

However, down in Mobile, Alabama, the NFL world gathered for the start of Senior Bowl week. All 32 NFL teams were represented in Mobile, as scouts and coaches from teams put the draft-eligible players through drills and interviews.

Every year, players emerge from the Senior Bowl and become first-round draft picks. This year, a pair of potential first-round quarterbacks headline another excellent group: Bo Nix (Oregon) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington).

So, which players stood out from Day of Senior Bowl practice? Here are some players who stood out from those in attendance from Mobile.

Why Dan Quinn doesn’t excite Commanders’ fans

There are plenty of reasons why fans aren’t excited about a potential Dan Quinn hire. That doesn’t mean he can’t succeed, though.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is a finalist to become the next head coach of the Washington Commanders. Norv Turner was the last Dallas coordinator to become a Washington head coach in 1994.

On Tuesday, when Ben Johnson withdrew his name from consideration for Washington’s coaching job, Quinn had just finished his second interview with the Commanders. Suddenly, the smoke surrounding Quinn as a serious contender for the job appeared accurate.

Quinn has been the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for the past three seasons. Before that, he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons. His work as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator from 2013-14 led to his only head coaching opportunity in Atlanta.

Quinn turned around the Dallas defense. Players love him. Micah Parsons jokingly said he’d go wherever Quinn went. Unfortunately for Washington, that’s not possible.

But, as we’ve learned over the past week, Quinn is not a popular choice amongst Washington fans.

Why? First, he’s not Johnson. Commanders’ fans have PTSD from the graphic featuring the 2013 coaching staff that features four current head coaches, including one Super Bowl winner (Sean McVay) and another who has appeared in multiple Super Bowls (Kyle Shanahan)

Secondly, Washington fans want an offensive coach. Can you blame them? With the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, fans hope the Commanders select a quarterback and hope to see the new head coach and quarterback work together in the same system for years.

Thirdly,  Commanders’ fans just aren’t all that excited about another former Dallas coordinator. Right or wrong, the last memory of Quinn and the Cowboys was that terrible performance in a blowout loss to the Packers in the NFC wild-card round.

Retread is the most common word fans use in describing Quinn. That’s not entirely fair. Quinn is an excellent coach. Quinn is a leader of men — something GM Adam Peters stressed was important in his selection for the next head coach.

Over the past three seasons, Quinn’s work in Dallas has been outstanding. Using the DVOA metric from FTN, here’s where the Cowboys finished in total defensive DVOA:

  • 2021: 4th
  • 2022: 4th
  • 2023: 5th

The DVOA metric is arguably the best tool available at measuring a defense’s effectiveness.

But let’s look at Quinn’s time as head coach of the Falcons. In five-plus seasons (he was fired during the 2020 season), Quinn amassed a record of 43-42, including a 3-2 mark in the playoffs. The peak of Quinn’s time in Atlanta came in Super Bowl LI when the Falcons led 28-3 and allowed Tom Brady and the Patriots to come back and win.

After that season, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan left to become head coach of the 49ers. Quinn’s record without Shanahan is 24-29. His defenses in his final years in Atlanta weren’t great, either.

If Quinn is the hire, he must convince Peters he can build an elite offensive staff capable of developing a young quarterback.

Another reason Washington fans will have a hard time with Quinn is Ron Rivera. Sure, these are two completely different men, but there are similarities. Both are former NFC South head coaches who lost in the Super Bowl and were fired from their previous jobs. Quinn and Rivera are defensive-minded head coaches with a reputation for strong leadership.

It’s important to point out there is a major difference: Quinn will be a coach only. Unlike Rivera, he will not be involved in personnel.

There are shock jocks on the radio saying fans are dumb for not being enthusiastic about Quinn. Give me a break. Fans have a right to feel however they choose.

New owner Josh Harris has a lot on his plate. In addition to trying to build a winning team, he’s trying to win back fans and fill out the home stadium with Washington fans — not Dallas fans. Hiring Quinn wouldn’t exactly galvanize the fan base.

That’s not to say hiring Quinn wouldn’t work. He’s highly respected and, with the right support and an improved roster, can win in Washington. That part is Peters’ job.

But don’t tell Washington fans they have to be excited when they’ve waited far too long for something to be excited about. But Washington fans should also give Quinn a chance — IF he’s the pick.

Is Mike Macdonald the ‘defensive Sean McVay’?

Mike Macdonald has an interesting connection to the Commanders.

On Tuesday, the Washington Commanders’ head coaching search took an unexpected turn when Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson withdrew his name from the Washington and Seattle openings.

So, Washington’s head coaching search, which began with seven names, was essentially down to four: Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Ravens associate head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

To the chagrin of most Washington fans, no names from the offensive side of the ball are listed among the perceived finalists.

It’s widely assumed that Commanders are down to Quinn and Macdonald; however, as we learned from the Johnson pursuit, things aren’t always as they appear. On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Washington liked Johnson, but he wasn’t the slam-dunk pick to the Commanders that many believed.

On Monday, Washington had a second interview with Weaver and Macdonald. On Tuesday, they met with Quinn in the morning and traveled to Detroit in the afternoon to interview Glenn.

Macdonald and Quinn are both believed to be finalists for the Seattle job, too.

Macdonald met with the Seahawks on Tuesday.

Quinn’s meeting with the Commanders went well on Tuesday, but it sounds like Macdonald has been impressing multiple teams.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network said on Tuesday that one of the teams looking for a head coach this cycle called Macdonald the best interview they’ve had “by far.”

“He is young, he is bright, sort of the defensive Sean McVay is how he was described to me,” Rapoport said.

Rapoport called Macdonald a “really, really strong candidate” in Seattle.

In his appearance on Monday’s edition of “The Pat McAfee Show,” Schefter said Washington was impressed with Macdonald, Weaver and Glenn, and they all had a legitimate chance to become the next Commanders coach.

He didn’t mention Quinn.

Another nugget in that Schefter appearance: He spoke on the widespread assumptions that Johnson and Quinn to Seattle being locked into Washington and Seattle, respectively. He said he’d bet, at a minimum, one of those would not happen, maybe both. Well, Johnson didn’t happen. Was Schefter’s “maybe” in regard to Quinn to Seattle?

As for Macdonald, he has a connection to the Commanders. His wife, Stephanie, is a Virginia native and former Washington cheerleader.

Stephanie Macdonald spent eight seasons as an NFL cheerleader, including stints with the Titans and Ravens. Her final three seasons were with Washington. She sang the national anthem for the Commanders “a couple of times.”

In an interview with “The Purple Chair Podcast,” Stephanie Macdonald says she was raised a Washington fan, and her father remains a fan.

There’s also the connection between Mike Macdonald and Washington’s senior vice president of football strategy, Eugene Shen. Shen and Macdonald worked together for six seasons with the Ravens.

What does that mean for Washington’s chances with Macdonald? No one knows. However, if Macdonald’s interviews went as well as Rapoport believes, the Commanders could have a hard time keeping him away from Seattle.

Regardless, Washington’s coaching search should wrap up this week.

What will the Commanders new GM Adam Peters do now?

Adam Peters has a huge decision in front of him. How will he respond to losing Washington’s perceived top candidate?

Adam Peters was on the job for just a couple of weeks and didn’t get the guy he wanted.

What now?

Commanders fans were all over X (Twitter) and DC radio Tuesday evening (Jan. 30) with emotions on display for all to see. Many are discouraged that Ben Johnson turned down Washington. Many are despondent, proclaiming there is no other worthy candidate out there. Many are gloomy, already saying there is a new owner, but nothing has changed.

Stop it!

Listen to yourselves!

Fear is doing your talking for you. This is why you are so emotional.

What is Adam Peters going to do?

I’ll tell you what Adam Peters is going to do. He is going to do what he said he was going to do the day he was hired. Adam Peters is going to stick to his commitment and his plan. After all, you don’t naively think he put all of his eggs in one basket, do you?

Peters expressed he was not looking for an offensive or defensive coach in particular. Do you know why? Because Peters has learned through simple observation that both types of coaches have won tremendously in the NFL and both types have lost enormously.

Consequently, what matters most to Peters is not offense or defense. He told us what he was looking for was a man who could bring leadership to the position.

Yes, this is a challenging time for Adam Peters. There is already negative press before he hires his first coach. But is that really necessary? Peters is not going to let his emotions get away from him, harming his ability to remain logical and rational.

Peters didn’t come across to me as a people-pleaser. He is not going to be overly concerned about pleasing Commanders fans. He already knows that is an impossible task.

Thus, Peters will stick to his plan and bring in a coach who will bring to this franchise what it has been lacking, a leader who also knows today’s NFL.

The NFL, like every other industry, is always changing, always bringing surprises. Peters got a big surprise on Tuesday. He lost the biggest trending upward candidate in this 2024 hiring cycle.

Now we will see how Peters responds to disappointments and losses.

Eminem joked about abandoning possible Ben Johnson diss track after Lions OC’s reported return to Detroit

Eminem sounded very happy that Ben Johnson was staying with the Lions.

Noted Detroit Lions fan Eminem sounded very happy to hear Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was staying in the Motor City.

One of the hottest names on this NFL coaching cycle, Johnson reportedly decided on Tuesday to stay with Detroit after the team fell in the NFC title game on Sunday rather than take a head coaching job elsewhere.

Well, Eminem joked that Johnson staying means he can “stop recording the diss track,” hinting that he was hypothetically ready to poke some fun at Johnson for leaving his favorite team.

However, the famous rapper seems more than glad to keep Johnson around for another possible Super Bowl run this fall.

The Lions have been one of the best stories of the NFL season, and Eminem is one of the team’s biggest fans.

He showed up to the NFC championship game and exchanged in some spirited, NSFW banter with the San Francisco 49ers fans in attendance.

However, he still sounds ready and willing to support his team, no matter what. Johnson’s return helps the Lions tremendously (and apparently keeps the coach from getting dissed on the next Eminem album).

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