ALLEN PARK — After filling one coordinator position on Saturday, the Detroit Lions have shifted their focus to another, with an external candidate and a familiar name surfacing as a potential hire.
NFL Network reports that Denver Broncos passing game coordinator John Morton is a name to watch for the Lions’ offensive coordinator vacancy. The report indicates that Morton and Lions head coach Dan Campbell have already had a meeting.
Morton, 55, is originally from Auburn Hills and brings 27 years of coaching experience in both the collegiate and professional ranks. If hired by the Lions, it would mark his return to the franchise and a reunion with Campbell.
In 2022, Morton served as a senior offensive assistant with the Lions before joining Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s staff in Denver. Morton has spent the last two seasons there, and his work has been noteworthy, especially following rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s impressive season.
Morton and Campbell also collaborated in 2016 on Payton’s staff with the New Orleans Saints. The veteran offensive assistant coach has held the role of offensive coordinator twice, first at USC under Pete Carroll, and most recently with the New York Jets in 2017 on Todd Bowles’ staff.
During Broncos’ training camp, Payton praised Morton’s coaching approach when asked about his work with rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin.
“He stays on most of them. He coaches them hard, he coaches them with love because he sees what they have,” Payton said. “It’s Troy (Franklin) today, but he’s an equal opportunity… He’s teaching all the time. I’ve been with him a long time, and I like hearing it. I like hearing it from a coach with passion because I think the players do as well. It’s when it gets quiet and no one’s talking to you that you have to begin to worry.”
Morton is the first reported candidate for the offensive coordinator position left vacant by Ben Johnson’s departure to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Potential internal candidates for the role include assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery, along with passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand.
“He (Engstrand) has good ideas, but I think him being able to learn from what’s been around here but like — (former Lions Senior Offensive Assistant) John Morton, man, Johnny was — Johnny’s a superstar now,” Campbell said about Morton in 2023. “And there’s a number of things that he did for us last year that are things that we’ve kept. And I really feel like that helped Tanner as well.”
Over the weekend, the Lions decided to retain offensive line coach Hank Fraley, assigning him the added responsibility of run game coordinator.