Though Ben Johnson is no longer with the Detroit Lions, he earned recognition during Thursday’s NFL Honors show for his remarkable work this season.

Johnson was awarded the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year for his leadership of the Lions’ offense, which broke several franchise and NFL records.

In the 2024 season, the Lions led the league in points scored, ranked second in total yards (6,568), and finished with an NFL-best point differential of +222.

Johnson’s impact didn’t stop there.

The Lions ranked second in total offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game. Johnson also played a key role in quarterback Jared Goff’s career-high 37 touchdown passes and 4,629 passing yards, just shy of his personal best.

Johnson helped maintain one of the league’s top rushing offenses, with second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs leading the NFL with 20 touchdowns, including 16 rushing touchdowns, tying for the most in the league.

After the Lions’ divisional-round loss to the Washington Commanders, Johnson left Detroit to take the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears. The Lions brought in John Morton, the Denver Broncos’ passing game coordinator, to fill the position.

At the Pro Bowl Games this weekend, Goff shared his thoughts on his relationship with Johnson and his departure to coach a division rival.

“Ben’s a hell of a coach. He’s made a huge impact on my career,” Goff said. “I’ll always be a fan of his. I was joking with him — I wish he didn’t have to be in our division so I didn’t have to face him twice a year.

“He’s going to do great things. Hopefully not too great, though, since we’re in the same division. But I’ll always root for him, and we’ll always have a strong relationship.”

Johnson joined the Lions two years before Dan Campbell became head coach, starting as an offensive quality control coach and later working as the tight ends coach under the previous regime led by general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia.

After Campbell’s arrival in 2021, Johnson stayed on as tight ends coach for one more season before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022.

From that point, he played a crucial role in transforming the Lions into one of the NFL’s most potent offenses, which helped make him a highly sought-after head coaching candidate in recent years.