He was initially mentioned as a peripheral candidate, but reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday indicated it was happening. Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network later confirmed that it was “only a matter of time” before it became official.
Denver Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton is set to become the Detroit Lions’ new offensive coordinator, replacing Ben Johnson.
Not to be confused with former Lions wide receiver Johnnie Morton, who ranks top-five in franchise history in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, some Lions fans may remember Morton’s previous stint with the team. In 2022, he was a senior offensive assistant for Detroit and also interviewed for the offensive coordinator position when Dan Campbell was assembling his staff in 2021.
Who is John Morton?
Although Morton has been in the NFL for most of his career since 1998, he’s far from a household name. He has never been a head coach and has held the role of NFL offensive coordinator just once before—for a single season.
Born in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Morton is a Western Michigan University alum and a Michigan native. He played professional football as a wide receiver from 1993 to 1997, including stints on NFL practice squads, with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL (1995-1996), and the Frankfurt Galaxy in the World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1997.
Coaching Resume
Here’s a look at Morton’s coaching history:
Oakland Raiders
Offensive Assistant (1998-1999)
Offensive Quality Control Coach (2000-2001)
Senior Offensive Assistant (2002-2003)
Tight Ends Coach (2004)
University of San Diego
Passing Game/Wide Receiver Coach (2005)
New Orleans Saints
Passing Game Coordinator/Offensive Assistant (2006)
USC
Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach (2007-2008)
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach (2009-2010)
San Francisco 49ers
Wide Receivers Coach (2011-2014)
New Orleans Saints
Wide Receivers Coach (2015-2016)
New York Jets
Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
Senior Offensive Assistant (2019-2021)
Detroit Lions
Senior Offensive Assistant (2022)
Denver Broncos
Passing Game Coordinator (2023-2024)
Morton has spent much of his coaching career working with wide receivers, and he has coached several notable players. During his time with the 49ers and Saints (2011-2016), he worked with Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, Braylon Edwards, Randy Moss, Anquan Boldin, Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas, and Marques Colston.
Concerns About His One Season as an Offensive Coordinator
Morton’s lone season as an NFL offensive coordinator came in 2017 with the New York Jets, where he reportedly had “philosophical differences” with head coach Todd Bowles. However, he’ll have much better players at his disposal with the Lions.
In 2017, 38-year-old Josh McCown started 13 games for the Jets. The team’s top two receivers were Robbie Anderson (now Robbie Chosen) and Jermaine Kearse, while Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Eric Tomlinson were the primary tight ends. Bilal Powell led the team in rushing, sharing duties with Matt Forte, who was in his final NFL season.
What to Expect
As noted by Al Karsten of Pride of Detroit, Morton has been repeatedly hired by some of the NFL’s top offensive minds, including Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, and Jon Gruden. He also has a long-standing working relationship with Dan Campbell and Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
These connections, combined with his experience, make Morton a promising choice to maintain one of the NFL’s best offenses.
