Ben Johnson was on the list of almost every NFL team that recently had a head coaching vacancy. Finally, Johnson takes action.
Chicago Bears finalize deal to hire Johnson as next head coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. According to the report, Johnson targets former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator.
This is huge news for Caleb Williams. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had a rocky rookie season with a coaching staff that was in over its head. Matt Eberflus was fired after a bad Thanksgiving loss to the Lions, paving the way for the arrival of Johnson, a hot name in NFL circles in recent years. Williams showed the talent that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and now, with Johnson bringing his offensive acumen to Chicago, he has a much better chance of success in the future.
The Bears were able to hire Johnson after the Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round. Other teams, particularly the Las Vegas Raiders, were also interested in hiring Johnson, so the Bears had to move quickly. They ended up landing Johnson less than 48 hours after the Lions’ season ended.
Johnson, 38, has quickly made a name for himself as he climbed the NFL coaching ranks. He spent seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins (Dan Campbell was on that team when Johnson was there), then joined the Lions. In Detroit, he moved from offensive quality control coach to tight ends coach to passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator over the course of five seasons. Then, during his three seasons as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, he became the hottest name among NFL assistants as a future head coach.
This past offseason, Johnson was getting interviews, but decided to stay with the Lions for at least another season, running their offense. Detroit scored 564 points this season, which led the NFL, and the Lions secured first place in the NFC. Johnson was once again a popular name in the head coach interview cycle. Chicago had to look at the stats Jared Goff put up with Johnson’s calls and project him to do the same with Williams and a talented cast of offensive players like receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.
Teams were looking for a Sean McVay-type recruit when courting Johnson, hoping to get a young offensive guru who hadn’t yet had a chance to become a head coach. His work with the Lions, getting fantastic production from Goff with a balanced attack that dominated in the passing and running game, was impressive. Johnson must have liked what he saw from Williams to accept the Bears job despite having several suitors.
It is, of course, unknown whether Johnson will be able to make a successful transition to the head coaching position. But Johnson will have his chance to make an even bigger name for himself. The Bears hope Johnson’s legacy ends up being how he derived greatness from Williams.
