It happened fast. One minute, the Detroit Lions are the toast of the NFL, and the next, they're clearing out the offensive coordinator's office after a single, messy year. On January 6, 2026, the team officially fired John Morton. Honestly, if you followed the mid-season sideline drama, you probably saw this coming from a mile away.
Replacing a guy like Ben Johnson was never going to be easy. Johnson was basically the "wizard" of Detroit, the guy who turned Jared Goff into a surgical precision instrument. When Johnson left to take over the Chicago Bears, Dan Campbell turned to a familiar face: John Morton.
Morton wasn't some random hire. He was a Rochester native, a Western Michigan alum, and he had been a senior offensive assistant for the Lions back in 2022. He knew the building. He knew the players. But knowing the building and calling the plays are two very different animals in the NFL.
The Week 10 Turning Point
Things started falling apart long before the official pink slip. You’ve gotta look back at the Washington game in November. That was the moment Dan Campbell basically said, "I’ll do it myself."
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Campbell took over the play-calling duties in Week 10. That's usually the "death knell" for a coordinator. While Morton kept his title for the rest of the 2025 season, the authority was gone. He was still "intimately involved" in the passing game—his words, not mine—but the rhythm of the offense had shifted.
The numbers tell a weird story. Under Morton's primary control, the Lions were 5-3. They were actually putting up 28.8 points per game. On paper? That's solid.
In reality? It felt clunky.
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The offensive line, which had been the backbone of the city, started to crumble under a mountain of injuries. Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell—everyone except Ratledge missed time. Morton's scheme supposedly leaned into longer-developing plays, which is great if your quarterback has five seconds to drink a coffee. It’s a disaster when the pocket collapses in two.
Why the Run Game Died
Detroit used to be a "maul you at the line" kind of team. Under Morton, the rushing efficiency fell off a cliff. We're talking 25th in the league in EPA (Expected Points Added) per rush.
- David Montgomery struggled to find lanes.
- Jahmyr Gibbs was used inconsistently.
- The Lions went from a top-five rushing unit to the bottom third of the league.
Fans were frustrated. There was this feeling that Morton was trying to fit square pegs into round holes. Jameson Williams, the deep-threat darling of the fan base, had games where he barely touched the ball. Morton even admitted in October that he "failed" Williams. You don't hear a coordinator say that very often.
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The Campbell Philosophy
Dan Campbell is a "gut" guy. He wants "grit." He wants a team that identity-wise reflects the city of Detroit. When the offense started looking soft and the play-calling felt predictable, Campbell did what he does: he took the reins.
The offense actually gained more yardage once Campbell took over—bumping up to over 390 yards per game—but the points actually dropped slightly. Why? Red zone efficiency. The Lions finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs. For a team that was a trendy Super Bowl pick in August, that's a massive failure.
What’s Next for the Lions?
The search is already on. Detroit has been linked to names like David Blough and internal assistants like Scottie Montgomery. They need someone who can recapture that Ben Johnson magic without overcomplicating the system.
The 2026 offseason is going to be defined by this hire. If the Detroit Lions get this wrong again, the "window" for this current roster might start to close.
Actionable Steps for the Lions Offseason
- Prioritize O-Line Depth: You can't run Morton’s or anyone else's offense if the front five are rotating like a revolving door.
- Find a "Player's OC": The locker room reportedly struggled with Morton’s complex play structures; the next hire needs to simplify and play to the strengths of Goff and St. Brown.
- Decision on Play-calling: Campbell needs to decide if he's the permanent play-caller or if he's going to truly hand the keys back to a new hire. No more "half-in, half-out" situations.
The John Morton era in Detroit will be remembered as a short, turbulent bridge between the Ben Johnson peak and whatever comes next. It’s a reminder that in the NFL, "experience" doesn't always equal "fit."