Calvin Johnson on timing of coaching interviews: 'I'm pretty sure they kept it real tight'
It's important to learn how to walk and chew gum.
Multitasking is just a fact of life and coaching in the NFL is no different. In a world where things are always competing for our attention, it's only natural to let your mind wander.
NFL coaches are no different. They want that promotion, a raise, recognition or a new opportunity. In the midst of a playoff run, it's common for coaches to interview with other teams for job opportunities.
The Detroit Lions' post-mortem is fixated on that. They've lost both coordinators, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, as their staff gets picked apart by teams that all want a slice of Detroit's success.
However, it's not that the Lions lost two key pieces of their staff, it's when they lost them. Johnson was hired by the rival Chicago Bears on Monday, less than 48 hours after the Lions' loss to the Commanders. Glenn's reported hiring by the New York Jets came on Wednesday, but both sides were far down the road on Tuesday.
As a result, it's become a question of whether coaches have become distracted because of the process. Former Lions' star receiver Calvin Johnson weighed in on that debate during an interview with Paste BN'S Mackenzie Salmon.
"Within the locker room, I'm pretty sure they kept it real tight," Johnson said. "Whether coaches had interviews with other teams. Even if they knew they might be getting terminated at the end of the season. We try very hard to stay focused on the goals that we have at hand and keeping it within the locker room."
Johnson said he hasn't given much thought to the possible need for a rule change. He's not the only one to discuss the potential for distractions though.
Former Patriots and current University of North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick had some thoughts on the coaching distractions debate during a recent appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast.
“I’ve never been a big fan of it,” Belichick said. “I think it’s really unfortunate when you have a team, including the coaches and the coordinators, work so hard all year to get to the playoffs, to have an opportunity to play in conference championships and Super Bowls, and then they’re totally distracted by another team, who was a bad team, who has a coaching change, infringing on that team that’s trying to get to a championship by hiring one of their top coaches. Nobody would be happy if that was a player. But for a coach, that’s also very disruptive, especially when you’re the play caller. I mean, it’s just human nature to be distracted by a potential job opening, staff, and change of lifestyle from a coordinator to a head coach when you’re trying to prepare and call plays in a critical game."
He added that he didn't interview with the Browns or Buccaneers until after Super Bowl XXV when the Giants beat the Bills.
Belichick said he doesn't like the rule, which he says is unfair to a team trying to compete for a championship, especially if those staff members are interviewing with teams in the division.
However, a rule change doesn't appear to be on the horizon. The Lions are left to pick up the pieces, with nothing to show for a magical season.
Maybe it's a good problem to have though. At the very least, it certainly beats the alternative.