After the season concluded, Morton was quickly hired to replace Ben Johnson. His appointment aligns with head coach Dan Campbell’s vision of hiring an offensive coordinator who understands their goals and has experience working with quarterback Jared Goff.

Morton, a Michigan native, served as a senior offensive assistant for the Lions in 2022. He spent the previous two seasons as the passing game coordinator for the Denver Broncos, working under Campbell’s mentor, head coach Sean Payton.

In his interview, Morton confirmed that he would be calling plays for the Lions next season, clarifying some questions raised by Campbell’s remarks about his involvement in the offense.

“I think it’s an unbelievable opportunity just to get another chance, calling plays the first time at the Jets… that was an experience, I’ve learned from that,” Morton said. “But just being here at home. I grew up here. Family is still here. I understand what it takes. It’s really exciting for this opportunity. You don’t get too many of them. And I’m ready.”

Morton explained that his experience with Campbell and Goff in 2022 was a significant factor in his hiring, as it all starts with the quarterback. Detroit’s offense showed growth that season and has continued to improve since.

His familiarity with Goff and their experience in the Lions’ quarterback room gives Morton confidence that he understands what the starter prefers.

“That’s important as a play-caller,” Morton said. “I’ll get to know more about him and the plays and the stuff that he really likes a lot and what they’ve been doing good here.”

Morton reiterated that his approach will center around the quarterback, aiming to build the offense based on what Goff excels at, much like Johnson’s approach.

He values a collaborative process and plans to continue it while making necessary adjustments for improvement, saying, “But Jared will be part of that.”

Morton recognizes the established philosophy in Detroit and aims to enhance it with his own approach.

“I want the players’ input, that’s very important that I listen to them,” Morton explained. “And then, we’ll formulate our own opinions and how we’re going to do things.”

Morton now takes charge of one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses, led by a quarterback who keeps surpassing expectations. Goff finished fifth in MVP voting, setting career highs in passing touchdowns (37), completion percentage (72.4%), passing yards per attempt (8.6), passer rating (111.8), and QBR (68.4).

The Lions also boast one of the league’s best offensive lines and the most effective backfield duo. David Montgomery has proved the Chicago Bears wrong for letting him go, while Jahymr Gibbs has continued to elevate his game after leading the NFL with 20 touchdowns in his second season.

“It starts with the work ethic. We’re going to work,” Morton said. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re consistent in everything we do. We’ve got to be disciplined. We’ve got to be detailed because that’s the way I was taught. We have to do those things.”

“Taking care of the ball, that’s the No. 1 thing. We saw the playoffs. The teams that lost the playoff games, they turned the ball over. It’s not about the Xs and Os. It’s just the simple details of everything, and taking care of the ball, making good decisions. It’s all those things. That’s where it all starts.”