Seahawks’ coaching search narrows again with Lions’ Ben Johnson reportedly staying in Detroit

You can scratch Ben Johnson off the list of potential successors for Pete Carroll in Seattle.

Instead, the Detroit offensive coordinator decided Tuesday morning to stay with the Lions and turn down possible head coaching opportunities with the Seahawks and Washington Commanders. The news was first reported by the NFL Network and a few other outlets.

The NFL Network reported that Johnson told both Seattle and Washington Tuesday morning of the news.

The move comes just after Johnson had met with Seahawks general manager John Schneider and other members of Seattle’s front office Monday in Detroit.

And it comes just as Washington was said to have a group headed to Detroit to interview Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

But that interview between Washington and Johnson will now apparently not happen.

As for Seattle, Schneider and the rest of the Seahawks’ contingent were scheduled to interview Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald on Tuesday.

And with Johnson out of the picture, Seattle’s focus now may shift fully to the 36-year-old Macdonald and to former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Tuesday’s interview with Macdonald will be the first time the two sides have officially talked. Seattle did not have an initial interview with Macdonald in the week following the regular season.

Still, some around the league were portraying Seattle’s interview with Macdonald on Tuesday as a pivotal step for each side, with Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network calling it “one to watch.’’

The NFL Network reported that one reason Johnson wanted to stay is help the Lions win a Super Bowl after the team came up a game short this year of making it to the big game.

And at 37, Johnson also figures to remain a hot candidate for head coaching jobs the next few years. Johnson also was reported to have pulled out of a chance to get the Houston Texans head coaching job last season.

Johnson, who rose to prominence turning Detroit’s offense into one that ranked the top five in both points scored and yards gained each of the last two seasons, had talked to six NFL teams during the coach-hiring process and had been commonly portrayed as a front-runner for the Washington Commanders’ job.

Seattle and Washington remain as the only two teams with openings. 

Washington also is interested in Quinn and he had an in-person interview with the Commanders on Monday. 

But a post on the social media platform X from Nicki Jhabvala showed Quinn at a local airport in the Washington area headed out of town with his interview with the Commanders apparently over.

Seattle’s interview Tuesday with Macdonald is the last known interview scheduled for the Seahawks.

Along with Quinn and Johnson, Seattle also held two interviews with Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.