Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and rookie defensive end Aidan Hutchinson both finished as runner-ups for year-end awards, announced the "NFL Honors" Thursday evening.
Johnson finished behind former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans for Assistant Coach of the Year. He received 35 of 50 first-place votes after leading the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL last season. The 49ers allowed just 16.3 points per game, overcoming the loss of the team's top two quarterbacks to finish the year on a 10-game winning streak before losing the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson, who took 11 of the remaining 15 first-place votes, orchestrated Detroit's offensive turnaround in his first year as coordinator.