Detroit Lions Score Huge Coaching Victory After 49ers Disaster

Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson reportedly won't leave the franchise.

There had been a lot of chatter the Washington Commanders had zeroed in on the young OC to be the team's new head coach, and an announcement could have come as soon as Detroit's postseason run was over.

Well, the Lions were eliminated in brutal fashion Sunday after blowing a 17-point lead to the 49ers in the NFC Championship.

Attention quickly pivoted to whether or not the Lions would lose one of the best OCs in the league and the brain behind the team's lethal offense.

Ben Johnson reportedly staying with the Detroit Lions.

Well, fans can breathe easy because Johnson has made the decision to stay in Detroit under Dan Campbell's leadership, according to Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero reported Tuesday that the young savant informed the Commanders and Seahawks that he's not going anywhere.

That means Detroit retains arguably the most important man on the staff other than head coach Dan Campbell. It appears teams eager to get their hands on Johnson will have to wait for next season.

This is massive for the Detroit Lions moving forward.

While an OC sticking around with a team might not generally be the biggest news, it definitely is when it comes to the Detroit Lions, Jared Goff and Dan Campbell.

There's almost certainly no run this past season and no offensive improvement last season without Ben Johnson. His quick slashing attack revitalized Jared Goff's career, turned rookies Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta into immediate stars and saw the Lions average 27.4 points per game during the regular season - fifth highest in the NFL.

Ben Johnson is a huge part of Detroit's success. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Detroit had some serious flaws on its defense, but the ability to score against any team kept the Lions competitive no matter what.

If he'd had left, a lot of the same pieces would have been there, but there's no guarantee Detroit would have found the same success with a new OC.

One of the most important pieces for the Lions moving forward is making sure the offense remains high-octane. Ben Johnson remaining with the team is a HUGE first step in that process.

Ben Johnson reportedly sticking with the Detroit Lions. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The internet also had some funny reactions to the news that will definitely make football fans smile and laugh. Check out a few of them below.

Sunday was brutal for Detroit fans, but this should help ease the pain just a little bit. Next season is already looking better for the Lions. I'd suggest fans enjoy it while they can because Ben Johnson sticking around again seems unlikely. Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.