This time next Monday, there will be more than the current three NFL head coaching openings. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has been tied strongly to two jobs-one that is open (Chicago Bears), and one that is not, yet (Jacksonville Jaguars).
When Pete Prisco of CBS Sports pointed to how Johnson might like the Jaguars job opening, as longs as general manager Trent Baalke is fired along with head coach Doug Pederson, NFL analyst Chad Forbes had a pointed (and credibly sourced?) response.
Ben Johnson to Jaguars is the worst kept secret in the NFL. It’s a done deal. It’ll be one of the Lions Executives or Ben’s pick for GM.
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) December 31, 2024
7-$80M https://t.co/SObRlyjRRp
There would be a lot for Johnson to like about the situation in Jacksonville, and the idea they'd give him a "blank check" to come be the head coach has been out there. The idea of a member of the Lions' front office, like assistant general manager Ray Agnew, being the new Jaguars general manager in tandem with Johnson being the new head coach is not far-fetched at all.
But a deal is not "done" until it's done. Forbes may know something, but the proof won't be in that pudding until Johnson is announced as the Jaguars' next head coach.
'Inside' perspective further points to Ben Johnson being the next Jaguars' coach
Former Jaguars offensive lineman Greg Huntington (an "original Jaguar" back in 1995) joined Rick Ballou of 1010 XL in Jacksonville to talk about the Jaguars' situation.
Huntington talked about his connection with Mark Brunell, the Lions' quarterbacks coach who of course had the best years of his career as a player as the Jaguars' quarterback. Huntington candidly told Ballou the reason he reached out to be on the show, was to talk about Johnson as a tentacle of what he has talked to Brunell about.
"After Detroit destroyed the Jaguars, I texted Mark, I said 'move heaven and Earth to convince Ben Johnson to take this job if it becomes available", Huntingtin said, "And then we talked, we actually talked on the phone together and he said 'Ben Johnson wants that job.' He likes the idea of Trevor Lawrence. And, of course if Ben were to come, Mark's gonna follow...They're very close, he (Brunell) would be the quarterbacks coach here in Jacksonville for Trevor Lawrence."
"Ben Johnson wants this job if it becomes available." 👀
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) January 3, 2025
Are the Jacksonville #Jaguars the leaders in the Ben Johnson sweepstakes...and would a Jags LEGEND be coming along with him?
Former Jaguar Greg "The Mangler" Huntington joins @Ballou1010xl to give the inside scoop on the… pic.twitter.com/PLRDmRY0sw
Huntington acknowledged how it's hard to know what to believe when it comes to this kind of stuff, but he considers Brunell to be a "100 percent reliable source" regarding how Johnson wants the Jaguars' head coaching job. And in terms of following Johnson somewhere, Huntington suggested Jacksonville (where he still has roots) would be the only place Brunell would do so.
Time will tell if proves true, but it's becoming impossible to ignore all that is out there tying Johnson to the Jaguars' job if/when it's open. He'd surely want to take a Lions' assistant coach or two with him wherever he goes for a head coaching job, and it's no surprise Brunell would be one of them if it's Jacksonville.
Check out Huntington's full segment with Ballou below: