FLOWERY BRANCH – Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, interviewed with the Falcons for the head coach position on Sunday, according to the team. Slowik’s interview came the day after the Texans were eliminated from the AFC playoffs. Johnson’s interview came the day the Lions advanced to the NFC title game.
Slowik, 36, is credited with getting rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud ready to play in the NFL this season. Stroud, who was taken with the second overall pick in the draft, helped led the Texans to the AFC South title. After blowing out the Browns in the wild card round, the Texans lost 34-10 to the Ravens on Saturday.
He started his career with Washington as a video assistant back in 2010. He became a defensive assistant in 2011 and stayed in that role for two seasons.
He worked with Pro Football Focus from 2014-2016 before landing a job as an offensive assistant on Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers staff. He was promoted to offensive passing game specialist in 2021. He was offensive passing game coordinator in 2022.
Slowik went with former San Francisco defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans when he was named head coach of the Texans.
Slowik is the son of Bob Slowik, who is currently the linebackers coach for Calgary in the CFL. He has been defensive coordinator for the Bears, Browns, Packers and Broncos in the NFL and Montreal in the CFL.
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who received a hearty endorsement from general manager Les Snead on Friday, and Bills interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Joe Brady, were interviewed on Saturday.
Johnson, 37, was a walk-on quarterback at North Carolina. He’s been Detroit’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. The Lions were ranked third in total offense at 394.8 yards per game, second in passing (258.9) and fifth in rushing (135.9 per game) and fifth in points scored (27.1).
Johnson graduated from North Carolina with degrees in mathematics and computer science. He went into coaching at Boston College where he worked for three years before joining the Dolphins in 2012.
He spent seven years with the Dolphins, working his way up from offensive assistant to assistant quarterbacks coach and then wide receivers coach. He worked in Miami with current Lions coach Dan Campbell.
The innovative play-caller is also considered a candidate for the Washington job.
Johnson interviewed with the Chargers, Panthers and Commanders on Friday. He interviewed with the Falcons Sunday after after the Lions won in the NFC divisional round over Tampa Bay.
The Falcons interviewed Bill Belichick for the second time Friday and scheduled a second interview with Jim Harbaugh. The Michigan coach is considered the front-runner for the Chargers opening.
The Falcons have completed interviews with the following coaches:
-- Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald
-- Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan
-- 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks
-- Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero
-- Ravens assistant head coach/defensive line coach Anthony Weaver
-- Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick (first and second interviews)
-- Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh
-- Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson
-- Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn
--Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris
--Bills interim offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Joe Brady
--Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik
--Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson
The Falcons are also set to interview former Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel.
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