Patriots interview Lions OC Ben Johnson for coaching vacancy, the 4th candidate to meet with team

By Canadian Press on January 10, 2025.

BOSTON (AP) — The New England Patriots could be on the verge of hiring their next coach after completing an interview with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday, the fourth candidate to be brought in as part of the search to fill the vacancy created by the firing of Jerod Mayo.

The Patriots previously announced completed interviews with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, former Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, and former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel.

Johnson’s interview was conducted virtually because the NFC top-seeded Lions are preparing for the playoffs. The other three interviews were conducted in person, with Vrabel meeting with team officials on Thursday.

Johnson has been the Lions’ OC since 2022 and also spent seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins, serving in various roles. Detroit led the NFL in touchdowns scored this season, and each of the last three seasons it has finished in the top 5 in scoring.

Vrabel was a fan favorite during eight seasons as a player in New England, where he was a member of its first three Super Bowl winners and an inductee into the team’s hall of fame in 2023. He is the only one of the candidates that has had head coaching experience.

Team owner Robert Kraft said this week that he is seeking a coach to fill a broad set of needs.

“You need someone who players can relate to and respond to, but they need to have a team around them that has product knowledge, in-game adjustments, knowing what their system is, just a lot of things coming together,” he said.

Vrabel is considered to be the preferred candidate because of his long association with the franchise and coaching success during his six seasons in Tennessee. He complied a 56-48 overall record in Tennessee from 2018 to 2023. That includes a 2-3 record in the playoffs and AFC championship game appearance in 2019 as part of a run of three straight postseason berths

He served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired, allowing him to speak with other teams. He also was interviewed by the New York Jets.

Hamilton and Leftwich are thought to be long shots for the job, but both do have credentials.

Leftwich was the Bucs’ OC when quarterback Tom Brady led the team to a Super Bowl win to cap the 2020 season. Hamilton was the coordinator or Colts teams in 2013 and 2014 that ranked in the top 15 in the NFL for points scored.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press