The Detroit Lions have one of the best offenses in the NFL when everything is clicking, and we've seen them absolutely dominate at times this season. Up until Week 10, former Denver Broncos offensive assistant John Morton was part of that.
Morton left the Broncos this offseason to replace Ben Johnson as the offensive coordinator for the Lions. With the way Detroit came out of a bye week and struggled in a loss against the Vikings, head coach Dan Campbell decided to make a bold switch.
Everyone noticed Campbell on the sideline holding a play sheet and speaking into a headset when the offense was on the field for Detroit, and he confirmed after the game that Morton has effectively been demoted.
Former Broncos offensive assistant John Morton stripped of play-calling with Lions
#Lions’ Dan Campbell says he decided to take over offensive playcalling after last week’s loss. Said he had an honest conversation with OC John Morton, but he’ll need him going forward. “John is vital to me,” Campbell said. It’s not a situation like 2021, he says. pic.twitter.com/3Iad9p7GJS
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) November 10, 2025
The Lions only lost to the Vikings by three points coming out of the bye, but they got a garbage time touchdown to make the final score look better than it was. The outcome of that game was about as shocking as you could have predicted for a team like Detroit coming out of the bye.
It was discussed all throughout the offseason that the Lions losing Ben Johnson could loom larger than anyone in Detroit would care to admit, especially because that team is in a championship window right now. And you have to credit Dan Campbell for recognizing that, and then making a bold switch when he felt it was needed.
Morton was the passing game coordinator for the Broncos last year, and obviously was an asset on the practice field and behind the scenes. It might not be a "correlation equals causation" kind of situation, but the passing attack was undoubtedly better last year than it has been so far through 10 games this season.
Even though the situation Morton inherited was arguably the easiest gig in the NFL to not screw up, calling plays and managing a game as an offensive coordinator in the NFL is a lot easier said than done. Lions fans were clearly not disappointed to see Morton's playcalling duties taken from him, nor is it all that surprising that it didn't work out.
You would think the Lions' offensive coordinator gig would be one of the most desirable jobs in the NFL with the weapons they have and the players they have who know what they're doing. And part of the reason the Lions brought Morton from the Broncos is his familiarity with the personnel and system there. He was with them prior to joining Sean Payton with the Broncos.
Now, it's going to be up to Campbell to get the job done as the offensive playcaller, and another former Broncos assistant will be looking for work after the season, in all likelihood.