Ben Johnson left the Detroit Lions as the offensive coordinator after three successful years to join the Chicago Bears.

However, he still has positive things to say about Detroit's offense.

In the last season, the experiment of John Morton as the Lions' OC failed miserably, with them missing the playoffs. Now, Head coach Dan Campbell has trusted Drew Petzing ahead of the 2026 NFL season. 

Johnson talked with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about Drew Petzing's recruitment as the new Lions' OC. Considering both are good friends, he was all praise.

"I think he’s going to blow those players away just from a knowledge standpoint, from a connection standpoint,” Johnson said. "I fully expect that offense to be clicking at a high level next year. Could see this being a great fit, knowing Dan and knowing Drew both. Think it’s probably a match made in heaven.”

Petzing has prior experience leading the offense in the NFL. In the 2023 season, the Arizona Cardinals announced him as their new OC. Next season was a standout for him, leading Arizona's offense that finished 7th in rushing and 12th in passing.

Unfortunately, after a horrible 2025 season, the Cardinals decided to clean house. They fired the head coach, Jonathan Gannon, and his entire staff, along with Petzing.

Ben Jonson is familiar with the Lions' offense, having been with the franchise since 2019. “I think it’s a really smart decision by Dan, it’s going to be hopefully not too big a headache on us, but I see it being a really good match.”

The Lions and Bears go up against each other twice every year. But this time, it'll be Petzing, who will be calling plays from the sidelines for the Detroit Lions. 

Who does Drew Petzing's offense look like?

Drew Petzing started as a football operations intern with the Cleveland Browns in 2013. After that stint, he moved on to the Minnesota Vikings in 2014.

With the Vikings, Petzing held several different roles during his time with the franchise. The tenure lasted for six years, from 2014 to 2019. Petzing returned to the franchise that gave him his start in the NFL. 

Following a three-year stint with the Browns, the Arizona Cardinals hired Petzing as the new OC in January. Now, as he takes the new job, he shared what fans can expect from a "Drew Petzing" offense.

“It’s gotta be built around the PLAYERS you have, you have to highlight their ABILITY and what they do BEST…”

Surely, the Petzing will look to replicate the magic of the Lions' 2024 season. He will aim to build his offensive structure around players like Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery.

What do you think about Drew Petzing's recruitment as the new Lions' OC? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Kalp Thaker