Jared Goff Shuts Down Thought Lions Maintain Animosity Towards Ben Johnson

Unlike Detroit Lions fans, Jared Goff holds no ill will toward former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. 

Goff told Mark Sanchez on FOX Sports’ “Rearview” that Johnson’s decision to depart for a division rival didn’t add any extra motivation for him in the Lions’ 52-21 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. 

“Ultimately, we just wanted to get a win – 1-1 is a whole lot better than 0-2. Certainly, in our own division, 0-2 would have been tough,” Goff said. “But yeah, we just wanted to get a win. And all the extra stuff with Dan [Campbell] and that entire factor, that there was a storyline there. However to be trustworthy with you, we did not actually give attention to that.”

Johnson’s return introduced some further consideration to pregame warmups and postgame handshakes. When Johnson first took the sector, he was greeted with some fairly loud boos from Lions followers. After the sport, some learn into the short handshake that Johnson and Campbell had as some form of feud between the 2 coaches. In the course of the recreation, Lions followers additionally chanted “F*** Ben Johnson!” With the Lions enjoying their starters nicely into the fourth quarter of Sunday’s blowout win, there was additionally some hypothesis that Detroit was working up the rating to stay to Johnson. 

Goff reiterated, although, that he and the Lions “have a variety of respect” for Johnson. 

“He is an in depth pal of mine,” Goff stated. “He is anyone who’s finished loads for me in my profession, and I really like the dude, however, for these three hours, we need to get after him.”

Nonetheless, Sunday was all enterprise for Goff. He admitted that he didn’t attain out to Johnson forward of Sunday’s recreation earlier than he accomplished 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns.

“He is a really critical man, and I knew he needed to be within the zone and did not need to trouble him,” Goff stated. “We’ll chat. We chatted after, briefly, and I’m positive we’ll chat all year long.”

Whereas the Lions’ offense seemed the best way it did below Johnson over the previous couple of seasons on Sunday, it didn’t look that means in John Morton’s first recreation because the staff’s offensive coordinator. The Lions didn’t attain the top zone till the fourth quarter of their 27-13 Week 1 loss to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, solely placing up 246 whole yards of offense.

With Week 2 serving as a giant take a look at for Morton, the brand new offensive coordinator succeeded. That didn’t shock Goff, who stated Morton is a “demanding” offensive coordinator who has “all the things you need.”

“Having the ability to type of block out the noise that was final week and are available again this week with a greater plan and lead us in the precise path this week was large,” Goff stated. “He is been superior, he actually has. He was in a distinct function with us in 2022. Having the ability to create that relationship with him then after which him coming again now and seeing him develop into this function much more, it has been a variety of enjoyable. Him and I work hand in hand, and I do my greatest for him on daily basis. “

Goff doesn’t love all the things about Morton, although. Sanchez, who frolicked with Morton throughout his school profession at USC, talked about the tattoo that the coach has on his ankle, calling it “the worst.” Goff agreed. 

“It’s horrible,” Goff stated with fun. “It’s fairly humorous, and guys riffing on a regular basis, like, dude, what’s that? It appears like a Harley Davidson emblem that’s like, blurred.” 

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