The Lions didn’t have to look far to replace Ben Johnson, bringing back John Morton as offensive coordinator. If that name sounds familiar, it should – Morton was with us in 2022 as a senior offensive assistant, and Dan Campbell’s been singing his praises ever since.
This has now happened: John Morton is the new #Lions OC, per me and @TomPelissero. https://t.co/zbDr6jak3Q
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 28, 2025
Morton’s been working with Sean Payton’s Broncos for the past two years as passing game coordinator, but his connection to Campbell runs deep. They worked together in New Orleans, and Campbell’s made it clear how much Morton helped shape our offense even in his brief time here. Remember when Campbell called him a “superstar” last year? Now we know why.
What’s really interesting is how Morton helped Jared Goff back in 2022. Campbell specifically pointed to Morton’s ideas from his Raiders days as helping Goff grow, and look how that turned out – Goff just had his best season ever and is up for MVP. That’s probably why Campbell wanted Goff’s voice heard in choosing the new coordinator.
The Michigan native (he’s from Auburn Hills and played at Western Michigan) brings some serious experience to the table. He’s been coaching since 1998, including stints as offensive coordinator for USC and the Jets. But what matters most is he already knows our system and speaks Campbell’s language.
There are some questions about what happens to our other offensive coaches. Tanner Engstrand is heading some rumors as the new OC for the Jets (although he was mentored by Morton in the past), and alongside Mark Brunell and Hank Fraley, they were all potential candidates for the job. Keeping some of them around would help maintain the continuity that made our offense the highest scoring in franchise history.
Between Morton and new DC Kelvin Sheppard, it feels like we’re keeping the best parts of what made us successful while adding fresh perspectives. Campbell’s building something special here, and he’s doing it with people he trusts.
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