As the next hiring cycle for NFL head coaches approaches, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be a prominent candidate again. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is also in line for multiple interviews again, and in a certain light he can be considered more likely than Johnson to leave for a head coaching job after the season.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero is out with his annual list of rising head coaching candidates ahead of the upcoming hiring cycle. Johnson is of course featured in the subsection of top candidates for the coming cycle, with the common and obvious sentiment regarding him.
"He isn't necessarily waiting for the "perfect" opportunity -- Johnson just wants to know there's alignment and a chance for long-term success. Otherwise, he'll stick with a job, team and city he loves in Detroit."
-Tom Pelissero, NFL.com
Rising Lions assistant named future head coaching candidate
On Pelissero's lengthy list of NFL coaches to watch in future years as head coaching candidates is Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand. The 42-year old is in his fifth season on the staff in Detroit, going from an offensive assistant (2020) to a quality control coach (2021) to tight ends coach/passing game coordinator (2022) to just passing game coordinator the last two seasons.
Engstand interviewed for three offensive coordinator openings after last season (New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers). So the league is certainly aware of him.
Engstrand is a fairly young coach, but after he played quarterback in college at San Diego State he got right into coaching in 2005 and check out his resume before his time with the Lions.
- University of San Diego: Graduate assistant (2005–2006)
- University of San Diego: Running backs coach (2007–2008)
- University of San Diego: Quarterbacks coach (2009–2010)
- University of San Diego: Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach (2011–2012)
- University of San Diego: Assistant head coach, offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach (2013-2017)
- University of Michigan: Offensive analyst (2018)
- DC Defenders (XFL): Offensive coordinator & running backs coach (2020)
Engstrand is the most obvious candidate to be the new Lions' offensive coordinator if Johnson leaves for a head coaching job. It's also possible Johnson will want to take Engstrand with him as his offensive coordinator on his new staff elsewhere. It also seems likely other head coaches will want to interview Engstrand for offensive coordinator openings.
In any case, Engstrand is a rising star. As a higher rung on the coaching ladder beckons him, one way or the other, he has been easily identified as a budding head coaching candidate.