The Detroit Lions are feeling the price of success in a rare way this offseason. Losing both coordinators in the same offseason is rare in itself of course, but a long list of other assistant coaches (Terrell Williams, Antwaan Randle El, Tanner Engstrand, J.T. Barrett, Steve Heiden) have departed as well.
On the last two episodes of his podcast, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has talked about the banter he had with Ben Johnson after Johnson left to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears and the story behind how he learned Randle El was joining Johnson in Chicago.
"I hit up the group chat, I go, ‘El, ain’t you from Chicago?” St. Brown said, regarding Randle El's departure, on this week's episode of the "St. Brown Podcast". “I sent that. Next one. ‘You following Ben?’ Literally, I sent that at 6:17 p.m. Two minutes later, I get a call from him. ‘The f*ck?’ I answer."
"He said, ‘What’s up, man.’ He goes, ‘Hey man. How’d you know? Did that get leaked?’ I said, ‘Nah, I was just messing around.'"
From St. Brown, publicly at least, there's clearly no hard feelings toward the coaches who have left the Lions and the departure of Johnson and Randle El will stoke the rivalry with the Bears. As a team leader, he'll be a tone setter for his teammates after all the turnover that has happened on Dan Campbell's staff. And in a broad sense, things have worked out well for the Lions in replacing departed coaches.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is not concerned about Lions' coaching staff turnover
On this week's episode of the "St. Brown Podcast", St. Brown concisely addressed whatever concern is out there about all the changes on the Lions' coaching staff.
"We’ll be all right, though,” St. Brown said. “Players make plays, right?”
When it comes down to it, yes, "players make plays", and head coach Dan Campbell is going to make sure the core philosophic principles that have led to the Lions' success remain in place. The sentiment that losing several assistant coaches is not that big a deal is lined up to become a team slogan for next season.