The Washington Commanders were delivered a tough blow earlier this week when Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson revealed he won’t be leaving the Motor City. Johnson was considered the favorite to become the next head coach in Washington, who fired Ron Rivera at the end of the regular season.
Johnson would have seemingly been a great fit for the Commanders. He is an excellent offensive mind, calling plays for a high-flying Lions offense the last two seasons. That is something Washington could use, especially with a new quarterback likely coming into town with the No. 2 overall pick.
With Johnson now out of the mix, the Commanders will have to look elsewhere for their next head coach. They have the last opening this year, which means it is the last chance for Bill Belichick to coach in 2024 as well.
NFL News & Rumors: Bill Belichick, Ben Johnson, Washington Commanders Updates
Belichick was relieved of his duties as head coach and general manager of the New England Patriots earlier this offseason. Even his six Super Bowl rings couldn’t save his job forever, as the Patriots have missed the playoffs in three out of the last four seasons.
However, don’t expect the Commanders to tab Belichick as their next head coach. As shared by Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, there are some concerns from the Washington side of things to bringing him in.
“But there have been no indications at all that new Commanders owner Josh Harris and his search committee, which obviously includes new general manager Adam Peters, intends to turn to either of them. While there have been reports that the committee has discussed Belichick — the ex-Patriots coach and perhaps the greatest coach in NFL history — multiple team sources have said Harris is unlikely to go in that direction.
“They have concerns about everything from Belichick’s age (71) to his willingness to work under a GM who will have control over personnel, to whether he’d even want to take on what could be a years-long rebuilding job.”
The question about Belichick’s willingness to work under a general manager is why many people believe he didn’t land the job with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons instead hired Raheem Morris and adjusted their power structure about who reports to whom within the organization.
NFL News & Rumors: Bill Belichick, Ben Johnson, Washington Commanders Updates
After overseeing essentially everything with the Patriots during his tenure, that would be a tough adjustment to make at 71. But, it is something Belichick may have to change his stance about. His track record evaluating talent over the last few seasons has been spotty; if he had succeeded, the Patriots wouldn’t have had to move on from him.
With Adam Peters locked in as their new general manager, the Commanders will continue their head coaching search. There are plenty of viable candidates remaining.
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