The very first question asked of Lions head coach Dan Campbell in his Labor Day press conference is one that has lingered all offseason. Who will call the offensive plays — Campbell or offensive coordinator Ben Johnson?
Campbell kept everyone guessing with his ambiguous, non-committal answer.
The question asked was if Campbell felt that Johnson was ready to call the plays. Here’s Campbell’s answer said with a wide smile,
“Yeah but I am too. So this is going to be good, be fun.”
After noting Johnson “did a great job” calling the plays in the preseason, Campbell added this with a devilish grin,
“Well this is going to be interesting to find out. I’m excited to know too.”
The coach followed up with a little more detail, though still not tipping his hand.
“I’m just not quite there yet,” Campbell said of making the decision. “I still have this eagerness to call it myself so it’s going to be — I don’t know. It’s going to be good.”
Campbell called the offensive plays last season after relieving OC Anthony Lynn from his duties midway through the season. Johnson had clear input on the process as the de facto coordinator, but Campbell kept the play calling himself.
