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Michael Rothstein, ESPN Staff Writer
Sunday turned out to be a very big day for Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
In the afternoon, he guided 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 completed a virtual interview with the Atlanta Falcons for the team’s open head coach gig.
Johnson and the Falcons got in the interview just under the wire for him to be able to have a potential second interview with Detroit during the bye week between the conference title games and Super Bowl LVIII, should the Lions defeat San Francisco in the NFC title game and advance to the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
In order for a second interview to take place, Johnson and the Falcons had to complete the initial interview by Sunday evening, which they did, as the club released an announcement just after 10 p.m. ET, saying that Johnson had talked with the club.
Johnson, 37, was the 13th candidate to interview with Atlanta following the firing of Arthur Smith on Jan. 8. A potential 14th candidate, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, is former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who Darlington reported has an interview set up this week.
Just one candidate thus far, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, has interviewed with Atlanta twice — but Belichick was one of two candidates eligible to meet with Atlanta in person before Monday, along with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.
A source told ESPN on Saturday that the Falcons were planning on scheduling a second interview with Harbaugh as well. A source with knowledge of Atlanta’s search, who was not authorized to speak publicly, told ESPN on Saturday the team’s head-coaching search is still “wide open.”
Beginning Monday, any candidate employed by an NFL team whose season is over can interview in person for an open head coach position. Of Atlanta’s initial interviews, this 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 interview in person.
The Falcons will be able to interview Ben Johnson, Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, San Francisco defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Baltimore assistant head coach Anthony Weaver and Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald on the bye week if their teams make the Super Bowl because they completed initial interviews with Atlanta prior to Jan. 22.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported 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 played with the Lions. Fowler also reported Callahan is interviewing in person with the Titans on Monday and that the Panthers have also expressed interest in an in-person interview.
