Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer January 21, 2024, 10:48 p.m. ET
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- Michael Rothstein is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta Falcons. You can follow him on Twitter @MikeRothstein.
Sunday was a very big day for Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
That afternoon, he led the Lions' offense to 391 yards in a 31-23 win over Tampa Bay, securing Detroit's first NFC title game berth since the 1991 season.
At night, after the win, one of the most popular candidates in this coaching cycle conducted a virtual interview with the Atlanta Falcons for the team's open head coaching gig.
Johnson and the Falcons came straight to the interview so he could do a possible second interview with Detroit during the bye week between the conference title games and Super Bowl LVIII if the Lions beat San Francisco in the NFC title game and advance to their first Super Bowl rise in the franchise.
In order for a second interview to take place, Johnson and the Falcons had to complete the first interview by Sunday evening, which they did when the club released an announcement shortly after 10 p.m. ET saying Johnson had spoken to the club.
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Johnson, 37, was the 13th candidate to interview with Atlanta following the Jan. 8 firing of Arthur Smith. A potential 14th candidate, according to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, is former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who Darlington said is scheduled to be interviewed this week.
So far, only one candidate, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, has interviewed with Atlanta twice – but Belichick was one of two candidates, along with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who were considered for an in-person meeting with Atlanta before Monday .
A source told ESPN on Saturday that the Falcons plan to set up a second interview with Harbaugh as well. A source with knowledge of the Atlanta search who was not authorized to speak publicly told ESPN on Saturday that the team's head coaching search remains “completely open.”
Starting Monday, any candidate employed by an NFL team whose season is over can interview in person for an open head coaching position. From the initial interviews with Atlanta, that means Belichick, Harbaugh, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Buffalo interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Houston offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik can all be interviewed in person.
The Falcons can interview Detroit defensive coordinator Ben Johnson, San Francisco defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, San Francisco defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Baltimore assistant head coach Anthony Weaver and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald during the bye week, when their teams have the Reach Super Bowl because they completed first round interviews with Atlanta before January 22nd.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Falcons are interested in interviewing Callahan in person – which would mean a second interview for the coach who helped develop quarterbacks Joe Burrow in Cincinnati and Matthew Stafford when Stafford was with the Lions . Fowler also reported that Callahan will have an in-person interview with the Titans on Monday and that the Panthers have also expressed interest in an in-person interview.