The man who gave John Morton his start in coaching thinks the Detroit Lions hit a home run with the play caller the team is expected to hire as Ben Johnson’s replacement as offensive coordinator.
“I hope Detroit gets him,” former NFL coach Jon Gruden told the Free Press on Monday. “I know there’s other teams that are trying to get him and I know Denver doesn’t want to lose him. But … if you can add Johnny Morton, that’d be a good reason to go have a glass of cabernet, the best one you’ve got.”
The Lions are closing in on a deal to hire Morton as their next offensive coordinator three years after Morton spent one season in Detroit as a senior offensive assistant.
Morton, a coaching lifer who briefly played for Gruden with the Oakland Raiders in 1998 and worked with him as an assistant in Oakland and Las Vegas, left Detroit after the 2022 season and spent the past two years as pass game coordinator with the Denver Broncos.
Johnson, who was hired as coach of the Chicago Bears last week, said in 2022 that he worked collaboratively with Morton and the rest of his offensive staff to tailor their offense to quarterback Jared Goff’s liking.
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More:What to know about John Morton, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator target
Lions coach Dan Campbell said last week he wanted to hire a replacement who would keep much of the Lions’ current system and terminology in place to continue Goff’s upward trajectory at quarterback.
Goff set career-highs with 37 touchdown passes and a 72.4% completion percentage this season, finished second in the league in passing yardage (4,629) and received MVP votes for the first time in his career.
With Johnson calling plays, the Lions had the NFL’s highest-scoring offense the past three seasons.
“I’ve already seen a lot of our influences from the Raiders on the Lions film while he was there, so I know a lot of the stuff that they’re already doing are ideas and things that he brought there because they’re just very recognizable to the things that we did,” Gruden said. “I’m sure he’s going to be a great addition.
“And I know they lost a heck of a coach, but John Morton, you talk about a guy that can scheme them up. Man, he’s at the top of the food chain in terms of the guys I’ve worked with.”
Morton started his coaching career as a intern under Gruden and after stops with the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints, USC, the San Francisco 49ers, Saints again (where he worked with Campbell) and New York Jets. He rejoined Gruden’s staff in Las Vegas as a senior offensive assistant in 2019.
Gruden said the Lions use a lot of the same pre-snap motions and formations as his Raiders teams.
“I saw the same formations loaded the same way we loaded them, I saw the same package of plays and I saw the same exact routes from the same exact formations. And the ball distribution,” he said. “We were really weird about ball distribution. We want to see the backs catch passes. We want to see the tight ends catch passes. We want to see all the receivers be involved and we want to use all the personnel that’s available to us and that’s what the Lions do as well as anybody.
“So you’re losing a well-known coordinator but still have a lot of really good coaches on that staff and Johnny Morton, he was one of the masterminds that helped put the scheme together so I hope you get him.”
ESPN reported Morton was traveling Monday to meet with the Lions with the expectation he will be hired as offensive coordinator.
Morton has called plays once before, with a New York Jets team in 2017 that was devoid of talent while aiming to land a quarterback in the next year’s draft. The Jets went 5-11 and finished the year 28th in total offense (305.3 ypg) and 24th in scoring offense (18.6 ppg) with a roster that featured Josh McCown at quarterback, Bilal Powell at running back and Robbie Chosen (Anderson) at receiver.
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Asked how fans should evaluate that season, Gruden said, “Oh, for God sake, who has a good experience with the Jets?”
“I think Lions fans got to look at the recent history, where we are now and John Morton helped put that offense together,” he said. “Let’s go back there. That’s the reality.
“The formations, the pre-snap communication, all that stuff. Johnny Mo had a lot to do with doing that. You’d be a fool if you didn’t believe it.”
Dave Birkett is the author of the book, “Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline.” Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
John Morton: One of the Masterminds of the Lions Scheme
John Morton has long been known as a brilliant offensive mind in the NFL, but his work with the Detroit Lions has taken his reputation to new heights. As the offensive coordinator for the Lions, Morton has been instrumental in developing a high-powered offensive scheme that has helped the team become one of the most dangerous in the league.
Morton’s creativity and attention to detail have been on full display this season, as the Lions have consistently put up big numbers on the scoreboard. From designing innovative play calls to exploiting matchups and mismatches, Morton’s offensive scheme has kept defenses guessing and struggling to contain the Lions’ explosive offense.
Under Morton’s guidance, quarterback Jared Goff has thrived, making quick and accurate decisions while spreading the ball around to a talented group of receivers. Running back D’Andre Swift has also been a major beneficiary of Morton’s scheme, finding open running lanes and making big plays in the passing game.
In short, John Morton has been a driving force behind the Lions’ offensive success this season. His innovative play-calling and strategic game planning have made him one of the most respected offensive coordinators in the league. As the Lions continue their quest for a playoff berth, Morton’s contributions will undoubtedly be a key factor in their success.
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