If Ben Johnson is treating Sunday's game as an interview, the Lions' offensive coordinator is indeed pulling out all the stops.
Johnson, who is reportedly "intrigued" by the Bears head coaching job, called an extremely creative trick play that resulted in a touchdown during the Lions' Week 16 matchup in Chicago.
On the play, Lions quarterback Jared Goff and running back Jahmyr Gibbs acted as if Goff had fumbled the snap. Gibbs fell to the ground, Goff slipped and players were overheard yelling "fumble!" But Goff never fumbled, which was evident after he launched a deep pass to a wide-open Sam LaPorta for a 21-yard touchdown.
The play, which is called "stumble bum," was inspired by Packers quarterback Jordan Love during a previous game against the Bears. Love dropped a snap before completing a big pass. Johnson was clearly impressed by Love's play and decided to incorporate it into his playbook.
We told ya he's an athlete 😉#ProBowlVote | @JaredGoff16 | @samlaporta pic.twitter.com/Fx4NZvBrGE
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 22, 2024
Johnson is expected to be one of the top-available candidates to land a head coaching job this offseason. With Johnson's guidance, the Lions currently boast the NFL's top-ranked scoring offense. The Lions were fifth in scoring offense during Johnson's first two years in Detroit.
