Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was recently on the list of almost every NFL team that had a head coaching vacancy. Finally, Johnson acted.
The Chicago Bears officially announced Tuesday that Johnson will be their next head coach. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Johnson is targeting 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 draft, and now that Johnson is bringing his offensive acumen to Chicago, he has a much better chance of success in the future.
“A proven leader with a winning pedigree and innovative spirit, we are excited to welcome Ben and his family to Chicago as head coach,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in a statement .
“Throughout our search process, I was deeply impressed by Ben’s character, intelligence, leadership and ability to connect,” Poles continued. “A progressive offensive mind, Ben’s plan for all three phases of our team, focused on creating a winning and competitive environment, became evident. By meeting Ben and understanding his process and vision, the more confident we became “Ben is the right leader for our team and he and I will be great partners in building our team and shaping our franchise for long-term success.”
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 rose through 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 and 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.
Last 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 earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 15-2 regular season record. 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.