Dan Orlovsky reveals why Lions fans should have faith in John Morton hire

The Detroit Lions have hired John Morton as offensive coordinator, and while many fans may not know his name, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky has offered a good reason for confidence in the move.
ByMax DeMara|
Ian Maule/GettyImages

The Detroit Lions have moved fast to respond after losing both of their coordinators, and in the case of offensive coordinator John Morton, the scramble is on to learn more about who will call plays next.

While many folks might not know much about Morton, it's clear he has a strong offensive background and should be well-equipped to keep one of the best offenses in the NFL rolling.

On "The Pat McAfee Show" earlier this week. former Lions quarterback and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky shared why he has faith in the Lions' hiring of Morton.

"I don't know a ton about John Morton. I trust Dan Campbell. He's been a part of Detroit in the past. I was never there with him. Losing Ben Johnson is significant. No mistake, he's one of the best play callers, play designers in the league. I like the fact Morton was with Sean Payton, obviously a brilliant offensive mind. There's a lot of people who say Dan Campbell had a lot of impact on how things went in Detroit offensively, play design (and) play call. As long as Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes are there, they've earned the benefit of the doubt. The players are still there. This is still one of the best offensive lines in football. They still have a ton of really good pieces on the perimeter. Offensively, I don't want to say they're not going to skip a beat because you have to see what kind of play caller this guy is and play designer, but you still have the pieces that are necessary for that."

Morton previously worked in Detroit in 2022 as a senior offensive assistant, and clearly has Campbell's respect. For him to be identified quickly as the replacement, a high level of comfort is likely built in.

Dan Campbell believes Detroit Lions' Super Bowl window will remain wide open

No matter who is calling the plays offensively, Orlovsky's point about what remains in place for the Lions. Campbell himself is a strong believer in the culture the Lions have built and the permanence of their Super Bowl window as a result.

"We talk about that core. That group is still intact and some of these guys, we've signed some back, some are up on contracts and that'll be ongoing. But yeah, we absolutely do (believe the window is open). I think the most important thing is you got your culture, you got your identity and you got players that fit into that and we've got that. We've got players in every pivotal position you can ask for to have success, and those guys are made the right way. So, absolutely our window is open."

Morton will be tasked with keeping momentum for a top-10 offense in the NFL, and the Lions have a solid core coming back. Campbell remains, and Brad Holmes has given Morton plenty to work with, which could be the biggest reasons fans should have faith in the new hire.

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