The Detroit Lions have been one of the NFL’s most exciting teams over the past two seasons, and much of that success was tied to former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Now, as Johnson takes over as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, the Lions will have to move forward without the offensive mastermind who helped turn them into a playoff contender.
For tight end Sam LaPorta, the transition comes with mixed emotions. While he respects and appreciates Johnson’s impact on his career, the reality is that their relationship will change now that they are on opposite sides of a heated NFC North rivalry.
Sam LaPorta, Lions Face Familiar Name in Chicago
Lions tight end Sam LaPorta isn’t wasting time circling dates on the calendar. Appearing on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams,” LaPorta had a message for former Lions offensive coordinator — and now Chicago Bears head coach — Ben Johnson following his official hire.
Friends Turned To Enemies 👀😂
Lions TE Sam LaPorta is "happy" for his former OC Ben Johnson on getting the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears and looking forward to facing him twice next season! @heykayadams | @Lions | @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/yalVjQIqfO
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 25, 2025
“Nothing but respect for him, but again, on Sunday afternoons this fall, it will be friends turned to enemies,” LaPorta said.
LaPorta’s comments were made in jest, however, as he seemed to get emotional later in the interview when talking about his former OC’s departure.
“It hurts, of course,” LaPorta said. “You spend a lot of time with these people, invest a lot of energy and effort and hard work together … [but] you’re excited that he’s going to go run his own team and organization and have a lot on his plate. Very exciting times for him.”
LaPorta, a second-round pick in 2023, had a breakout rookie season under Johnson, finishing with 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns While he did not match it in Year 2, he still put up an impressive 726 yards and seven TDs on 60 receptions in 2024. Johnson’s offense ranked No. 1 in the PFSN’s Offense+ metric, making him one of the most sought-after coaching candidates this offseason.
Following the Lions’ 45-31 upset loss to the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card, Johnson accepted Chicago’s head coaching position. Johnson is now set to face off against LaPorta and the Lions twice a year.
Johnson was widely considered one of the brightest offensive minds in football and was expected to land a head coaching job last offseason before opting to return to Detroit. This year, however, the Bears secured him as the centerpiece of their rebuild.
As Johnson looks to build Chicago back up with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, the Lions will aim to continue their rise under head coach Dan Campbell. With back-to-back playoff appearances and a top-ranked offense, Detroit is hoping to take the next step — this time without the coordinator who helped engineer their turnaround.
With one of the league’s top young tight ends on one side and his former offensive coordinator now leading a division rival, the Lions-Bears matchup just got a lot more personal.