3 underrated benefits of John Morton as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

Dan Campbell has finalized his coordinator hires, replacing the departed Ben Johnson by bringing in a familiar face—former Denver Broncos pass game coordinator John Morton—as offensive coordinator. Morton, who previously served as a senior offensive assistant for Detroit, played a key role in shaping the upstart 2022 Lions offense with valuable ideas and play design. Campbell’s decision to bring him back signals confidence that Morton can seamlessly step in to maintain the team’s high-powered attack while working alongside Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Hank Fraley, and other returning offensive staff members.

Morton’s reputation precedes him, having been a trusted offensive mind for top coaches like Jon Gruden, Jim Harbaugh, and Sean Payton—each of whom has hired him multiple times. Now, Campbell follows suit, elevating Morton to a lead role.

There’s good reason for that. Morton has helped construct multiple successful offenses, bringing sharp passing game concepts that maximize quarterback efficiency. His ability to keep Goff in favorable situations should fold in nicely with run game coordinator Hank Fraley, who also earned a well-deserved promotion.

Below, I highlight three underrated aspects of the Morton hire, drawing from his influence on the 2022 Lions offense and other previous stops including last year in Denver.

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics were made available via NFL Pro or FTN Fantasy.

Improved screen plays

One area where the 2022 Lions excelled—but became less efficient as the offense evolved—was screen passing. While Ben Johnson’s offense featured well-designed and well-executed screen plays over the past two seasons, they were a more impactful component of the less dominant 2022 unit. Morton, then part of a relatively young and inexperienced offensive staff, likely played a steady role in shaping those screen concepts.

In 2022, the Lions ranked among the NFL’s best in screen efficiency, averaging 7.0 yards per attempt (second), 0.39 EPA per dropback (second), and a 54.2% success rate (fourth). That 0.39 EPA per dropback was the third-highest by any team in a single season over the past three years. Screens provided Jared Goff with easy outlets, lightening his workload as he rebuilt his confidence. They were an easy avenue for him to not have the entire aerially attack on his shoulders.

After Morton’s departure, the Lions’ screen game efficiency dipped in 2023, though it remained productive. They averaged 5.4 yards per attempt (12th), 0.03 EPA per dropback (13th), and a 45.5% success rate (sixth). In 2024, the numbers rebounded as part of the league’s most imposing offensive juggernaut, but neither season quite matched the 2022 peak.

With Morton, Detroit fielded a top-tier screen game despite lacking a top-tier offensive roster. He helped lay the foundation, scheming around a backfield of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams rather than Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. He worked with a patchwork offensive line—Evan Brown, Logan Stenberg, Kayode Awosika, and Dan Skipper combined for 23 starts—alongside a young Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, minimal contributions from Jameson Williams, and no Sam LaPorta.

As Morton now takes ownership of the offense alongside Fraley and others, his fresh perspective could revitalize Detroit’s screen game, making it an even more dangerous weapon in an already elite attack.

Deep ball efficiency

The 2022 offense averaged an impressive 26.6 points per game (fifth), while maximizing its roster’s strengths. They staked claim to their success through multiple avenues, including the screen game, as previously highlighted, but also by attacking defenses with deep play-action passing.

While the Lions offense thrived over the past three seasons, their play-action passing to vertical routes (Go, Post, Corner) was particularly effective in 2022. In the following seasons, the offense shifted its focus toward attacking the middle of the field on play-action passes—with great success—but to some degree at the expense of its deep passing efficiency.

On play-action vertical routes in 2022, the Lions led the NFL with 1.31 EPA per dropback—the highest mark across both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. They also averaged 19.2 yards per attempt (third) and posted a league-best 69.6% success rate. Kalif Raymond and DJ Chark were key contributors, with Raymond recording 169 receiving yards (fourth) and Chark adding 127 yards (13th). Notably, Raymond averaged a staggering 33.8 yards per target on these plays—the highest in the NFL that season and the second-highest in the past three years (min. 5 targets).

In 2023, the Lions’ production on play-action vertical routes took a slight dip, averaging 0.84 EPA per dropback (second), 20.9 yards per attempt (third), and a 50% success rate (12th). The decline continued in 2024, as they managed just 0.75 EPA per dropback (17th), 16.3 yards per attempt (11th), and a 47.6% success rate (20th). This regression came despite the presence of Jameson Williams—one of the league’s premier deep threats—suggesting a missed opportunity in stretching the field since Morton’s departure.

If Morton can reintroduce a more effective deep-passing element while faking the run, forcing defenses to account for threats behind the last line of defense, it could further open up both the middle-of-the-field passing attack and the running game.

Quarterback development

The final underrated aspect of Morton’s hire isn’t tied to his previous tenure with the Lions, but rather to the quarterback journeys that he’s been an instrumental part of in the past. At this point, Jared Goff is already operating at an All-Pro level, and Morton will be tasked with ensuring that high standard continues. However, it’s Morton’s extensive background in quarterback development that makes his presence particularly intriguing for backup Hendon Hooker.

This past season in Denver, Morton was part of the offensive brain trust that guided rookie Bo Nix to an impressive first year. Nix exceeded expectations, showing steady improvement after early struggles. The Broncos’ staff made life easier for him by leaning heavily on play-action passing—Nix ranked fifth in play-action attempts in 2024, with Goff leading the league.

Morton’s history of maximizing quarterbacks extends beyond Denver. In 2019, he joined Jon Gruden’s Oakland Raiders staff, helping Derek Carr rebound from a rough 2018 season, his first under Gruden. That year, Carr set career highs in completion percentage (70.4%), yards per attempt (7.9), passing success rate (50.7%), and recorded his first season with a passer rating over 100.

His track record dates back even further. At USC, as passing game coordinator under offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, Morton played a key role in Mark Sanchez’s development from 2007 to 2008, helping him become a top-five NFL draft pick while leading the Trojans to a 12-1 record. The following year, as USC’s offensive coordinator, he guided Matt Barkley—the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener for a preseason top-five team since 1975. Under Morton’s continued mentorship in 2010, after being retained by new USC head coach Lane Kiffin, Barkley improved across the board in his sophomore campaign.

Winding back the college clock a little further on Morton, he was also the offensive coordinator for the University of San Diego in Jim Harbaugh’s second year leading the Toreros. In 2005, he helped transform the team from a 7-4 squad to an 11-1 powerhouse, averaging 42.5 points per game and winning the PFL championship. He played a key role in the emergence of first-year starter, and future immortal NFL backup, Josh Johnson, who lit up the Division I-AA ranks with 3,320 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, 720 rushing yards, and 11 rushing scores—all while completing 66.3% of his passes. Morton administered an unstoppable offense that allowed for Johnson to set the Division I-AA football world on fire including having six games with at least four passing touchdowns

Another notable quarterback success story came in 2006 with the New Orleans Saints, where Morton served as passing game coordinator in Sean Payton’s first season as head coach. He played a pivotal role in helping newly-signed free agent Drew Brees elevate his game to elite status, finishing second in MVP voting, earning First-Team All-Pro honors, and delivering a legendary season that revitalized the Saints franchise post-Hurricane Katrina.

Morton’s track record in developing young quarterbacks and introducing innovative concepts to enhance their comfort and growth is undeniable. While Mark Brunell has been an invaluable resource for the Lions’ offense and a trusted sounding board for Goff, his coaching experience beyond the high school level is limited. That’s where Morton’s addition becomes particularly valuable—his expertise strengthens the offensive staff and provides a seasoned voice in quarterback development.

Hooker finally got his NFL seas legs in 2024 and Morton’s guidance over the remainder of his rookie contract could be the key to shaping him into one of the league’s top backup quarterbacks.

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