INDIANAPOLIS — Ben Johnson was besieged by congratulatory messages from friends, players, and colleagues after he was named Detroit Lions offensive coordinator in February, but one text in particular caught him by surprise.
"It was Matthew Stafford," Johnson said Tuesday. "It was the week before the Super Bowl, he's preparing for the biggest game in his life, and I believe it was his birthday the day he texted me on. But for him to reach out and say, 'Congrats and well deserved,' like that meant a lot to me. I thought it was pretty special.