The Detroit Lions are coming up on their last game of the season on Sunday, January 4, with an 8-8 record, and they’re not in the playoffs, which hurts. For those around the NFL, many are pointing to the Lions’ record collapsing after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to take the head coach role with the Chicago Bears.
In contrast to the Lions’ 2024-25 season, the Bears are already in the playoffs and could finish as high as second in the entire NFC. They’re also already No. 1 in the NFC North. So, how can the Detroit Lions get some of that Johnson magic back for the 2026-27 season?
Maybe the best way to do that is by taking one of Johnson’s own. It’s a cut-throat business, the NFL, and there’s nothing wrong with the Detroit Lions making a move to take from Johnson’s collection of coaches and bring that person to the Motor City. The franchise’s future may depend on it.
Detroit Lions May Look to the Chicago Bears for Coaching Role
When Johnson left for Chicago to take on the head coaching role, he took some friends with him. One was J.T. Barrett. When he was in Detroit, Barrett was Detroit’s assistant quarterbacks coach during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Now, he’s the Bears’ quarterback coach and has been working with Caleb Williams.
In a piece out on Friday, January 2, for Detroit Jock City, Nick Halden names Barrett as a great replacement for the Lions’ offensive coordinator position.
“Barrett was in the league as recently as 2019, spending time on the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad,” he notes in the piece. “The signal caller would follow this up with the CFL’s Edmonton Elks joining the roster in the 2022 season. This tenure ended with an injury, opening the door for Barrett to join Johnson’s staff.”
He adds, “For Detroit, it is a gamble to bring in a young coach with zero play-calling experience; however, it could be the best way to rediscover the magic of Johnson’s offense.” Also, “Barrett has spent the last four years working under the former Lions’ OC and is the perfect gamble if Detroit wants to revisit the past.”
The Numbers Are in for Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings
Plenty of people were watching the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, the Lions lost in front of the large audience.
he NFL has announced that the Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings late afternoon game on Netflix has been crowned the most-streamed NFL game in U.S. history. The game averaged 27.5 million U.S. viewers, according to research from Nielsen. The audience also peaked at more than 30 million. That tops the 27.2 million average for last year’s Christmas game on Netflix between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texas in the same slot.
“This year marked the second of a three-season partnership between Netflix and the NFL to broadcast NFL football games on Christmas Day,” according to an official release from Netflix.
American love a comeback story, and the Lions are build on the idea of pride and redemption, so get ready for the 2026-27 season.
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