As the NFL’s head coaching carousel continues to turn, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has become one of the hottest commodities in all of football. Yet, even after being a head coaching candidate last offseason, Johnson stayed in Detroit to run the offense in 2023.
Could his asking price for a head coaching job have been too high?
According to an unnamed source, there is awareness among league owners that Johnson’s asking price to become head coach is at least or around $15M per year, ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported via X on Thursday.
Now my question is, if you’re a head coach candidate with Super Bowl championships, Super Bowl and playoff experience like Darrell Bevell, Eric Bieniemy, Dan Quinn or Lou Anarumo, what should their asking price be this upcoming carousel season?
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 21, 2023
In a follow-up tweet, Anderson wondered if Johnson was unqualified to receive such a sum. “Now my question is, if you’re a head coach candidate with Super Bowl championships, Super Bowl and playoff experience like Darrell Bevell, Eric Bieniemy, Dan Quinn or Lou Anarumo, what should their asking price be this upcoming carousel season?”, she tweeted.
Fellow ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky also took a shot at Johnson in the replies, saying “Maybe gotte rethink the whole coaching thing?”.
Maybe gotta rethink the whole coaching thing
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 21, 2023
Johnson’s Asking Price Puts Him In Some Elite Company
If true, Johnson would be among the highest-paid head coaches in the NFL. According to Sportico, only four NFL head coaches make at least $15 million per year. Bill Belichick sits atop the list at a reported $25 million per year while Denver Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton is in a distant second place at $18 million per season.
Three of the top-five highest-paid NFL coaches reside in the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and L.A. Rams coach Sean McVay are the only other coaches making at least $15 million per year. Meanwhile, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is right behind them at $14 million.
At $15 million per year, Johnson would make himself tied for the fourth-highest-paid coach in all of North American sports.
Lions’ Offense Proving Johnson’s Worth
Jared Goff has flashed significant improvement under Johnson over the past two seasons.
Together, the duo has transformed Detroit into one of the best offenses in the NFL. Through 14 games, the Lions rank third in the NFL in total offense, fourth in passing offense, and fifth in scoring at 27.3 points per game.
In his third season in a Lions’ uniform, Goff has looked just as good, if not better than he did with the Rams under McVay. He ranks third in the NFL in yards and touchdowns and is on pace to post the third-best QBR of this career.
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