A full breakdown of Detroit Lions new offensive coordinator John Morton.<\/p>\n
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The Detroit Lions hired John Morton to be their offensive coordinator this week. Morton will have big shoes to fill, as Ben Johnson led the Lions to the highest-scoring season in franchise history and the NFL lead in points per game in 2024.<\/p>\n
To get an idea of how Morton may do with the Lions, let\u2019s take an in-depth look at every place he\u2019s coached over the past nearly 30 years. After that, we\u2019ll look at what some of his players and fellow coaches have said about him.<\/p>\n
1997 \u2014 Raiders personnel department<\/strong> After his playing career as a wide receiver ended, Morton spent the next eight years within the Oakland Raiders organization, first working in the personnel department before eventually working his way up to tight ends coach.<\/p>\n His first four years were spent under Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who had this to say about Morton (per the Detroit Free Press):<\/p>\n \u201cYou talk about a guy that can scheme them up. Man, he\u2019s at the top of the food chain in terms of the guys I\u2019ve worked with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n During this time, Morton worked with the receivers and tight ends \u2014 including legends Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. The Raiders also produced top-five scoring offenses in three consecutive years from 2000-02, culminating in a Super Bowl appearance in that final year.<\/p>\n As for his stint as tight ends coach, his room didn\u2019t produce much in the passing game:<\/p>\n However, none of those players ever really amounted to much before or after Morton left.<\/p>\n 2005 \u2014 University of San Diego \u2014 Passing game + WR coach<\/strong><\/p>\n Coincidentally enough, Morton crossed paths with Tanner Engstrand in this single year, with Engstrand working as a graduate assistant at the time.<\/p>\n Both worked under head coach Jim Harbaugh. That year, the Toreros went 11-1, winning the Pioneer Football League Championship. The offense was extremely explosive, averaging 42.6 points per game. Per an LA Times story, Morton did dabble in play-calling during this season.<\/p>\n Quarterback Josh Johnson (yes, that one) completed 236-of-344 passes for 2,881 yards (8.6 Y\/A) 31 TDs, and 8 INTs in what would become the first of his three years as a starter. The leading receiver was someone named Adam Hannula, who hauled in 65 catches for 907 yards and nine touchdowns.<\/p>\n Johnson eventually became the first-ever player from the University of San Diego to be drafted in the NFL. (Fun fact: former Lions PR Jamal Agnew became the second, and there have been none since.)<\/p>\n 2006 \u2014 Saints passing game coordinator + offensive assistant <\/strong><\/p>\n Morton jumped back into the NFL to join head coach Sean Payton and work under offensive coordinator Doug Marrone. That year\u2014which was also Payton\u2019s first year\u2014the Saints turned what was the 31st-ranked offense into the No. 5 scoring offense. Drew Brees led the entire NFL with 4,418 yards, was third in touchdowns (26), but did have 11 interceptions. Brees finished that year second in MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year voting.<\/p>\n 2007-08 \u2014 USC \u2014 Pass game coordinator + WR coach<\/strong> Morton jumped to USC right in the middle of Pete Carroll\u2019s era, just a couple of years removed from the back-to-back National Championships in 2003-04.<\/p>\n In the year prior to Morton\u2019s arrival, the Trojans averaged 30.5 points per game with quarterback John David Booty running the show (3,347 yards, 29 TDs, 9 INTs). When Morton jumped aboard, they jumped to 32.6 points per game, with Booty as the starter until he broke his finger. Mark Sanchez took over for three games. Combined, the quarterbacks had 3,090 yards, 31 TDs, and 15 INTs.<\/p>\n In 2008, Sanchez took over and the Trojans, again, pushed their points total up to 37.5 points per game. The passing offense exploded to 3,207 yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and just 10 INTs.<\/p>\n When offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian left for a head coaching job in 2009, Morton took over, but Carroll made the decision to have quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates call plays. Morton would collaborate with Bates on the weekly game plans, then head to the booth on gamedays, with Bates on the sideline.<\/p>\n The Trojans offense\u2014now without Sanchez\u2014did take a significant step back, but they were also starting true freshman Matt Barkley. In Morton\u2019s single full season as offensive coordinator, USC averaged just 26.5 points per game<\/p>\n The following year, Carroll left for the Seattle Seahawks and Lane Kiffin replaced him. Kiffin demoted Morton back to pass game coordinator\/WR coach with Kennedy Polamalu taking the offensive coordinator gig. Kiffin was calling the plays, anyway. The offense bounced back modestly, averaging 31.0 points per game. Barkley improved to 2,791 yards passing, 26 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.<\/p>\n That era did produce a couple of wideouts that made it to the NFL. Both Damian Williams (2010) and Patrick Turner (2009) were third-round picks, but neither lasted more than five years in the league.<\/p>\n 2011-14 \u2014 <\/strong>49ers WR coach<\/strong><\/p>\n Morton would reunite with Harbaugh for a four-year stint with the 49ers. San Francisco would make three straight conference championships and one Super Bowl. While those teams were defined by their defense and strong rushing attacks, Morton helped Michael Crabtree have two of his most successful years, including a 2012 season where he caught 85 passes for 1,105 yards and nine touchdowns. Under Morton, Anquan Boldin saw a bit of a career revival, as well, earning back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2013-14. Boldin quickly became a big fan of him, and would later consider reuniting with him in New Orleans (but ultimately chose… Detroit!)<\/p>\n On FA WR Anquan Boldin: Source said #Saints<\/a> are making the strongest push to sign him & he loves ex-#49ers<\/a>, now NO's, WR coach John Morton<\/p>\n — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 14, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n1998-99 \u2014 Raiders offensive assistant <\/strong>
\n2000-01 \u2014 Raiders quality control coach<\/strong>
\n2002-03 \u2014 Raiders senior offensive assistant<\/strong>
\n2004 \u2014 Raiders tight ends coach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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\n2009 \u2014 USC \u2014 Offensive coordinator + WR coach<\/strong>
\n2010 \u2014 USC \u2014 Pass game coordinator + WR coach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n