For weeks, the league at large presumed that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson would become the next head coach of the Washington Commanders. After he decided not to do it, someone leaked that: (1) Johnson was not the “lock” many thought he was; and (2) his “asking price spooked some teams.”
The reporting gave Johnson no apparent opportunity to respond to the suggestion, and it provided no information about his “asking price.”
During a press conference on Thursday, Johnson was asked about the reporting that emerged after he jilted the Commanders.
“There was in my opinion some false narratives going on out there,” Johnson said, “and it started towards the end of last year, before I made the decision to pull out. That comes with the territory. I’m good with that. That’s part of life in the NFL. So, [it] doesn’t affect me. I do feel for the people around me. I hate that my family would ever read stuff that’s not necessarily the case. But they handled it really, really well. . . .
“I think I sleep well at night knowing what happened, how it happened, why it happened. I’m good there. And the people that are closest to me, they know who I am and what I’m about.”
Later, Johnson was asked whether he wanted to correct the record as to anything that was reported.
“No,” he said. “I’m good.”
On one hand, it’s honorable that he took the high road. On the other hand, sometimes you’re forced to go low, in order to fight those who have gone lower.
Regardless, the circumstances suggest that some team that had allowed the perception to be created that Johnson was its first choice had to create the impression that it ultimately got its first choice, even if its didn’t. That Johnson wasn’t hired not because of his decision, but because of the team’s decision.
Of course, properly functioning organizations: (1) don’t allow a false impression to be created about who their top choice is; (2) don’t fail to close a deal that by all appearances is on the tee; and (3) don’t crap all over a guy who made a decision, for whatever reason, to not pursue that team’s head-coaching job.