The Chicago Bears have hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their newest head coach.
The rumors of Johnson going to the Bears have circled all year, and it has finally come true. Matt Eberflus was fired midway through the rocky Chicago season, and Johnson was the top pick to be the next head coach.
This hiring comes after the Lions choked in the divisional round against the Washington Commanders by a score of 45-31. Dan Campbell loses the firepower of Detroit’s offense for two great seasons.
The Fit
Caleb Williams has had high praise for Ben Johnson and his coaching capability, and the pair will try to bring the Bears from years of gloom.
Johnson’s playbook and presence catapulted the Lions into their dominance. Matt Eberflus was a defensive-minded coach and it simply didn’t work for Chicago.
The Bears have some talented weapons on the offensive side of the football, and a guy like Ben Johnson will potentially unlock more.
Divisional Threat?
The NFC North was very dominant in the regular season, but failed to win any playoff games. Minnesota, Green Bay and Detroit fell short of championship expectations.
Chicago started the 2024 season with a 4-2 record, but finished a disappointing 5-12. The expectations weren’t championship caliber, but they could’ve been better than 5-12. Johnson will add a different dynamic to a young Chicago Bears team looking to improve their winning ways.
The Bears still have a lot to do to become threats to rest of the division, as they struggled with a 1-5 record in the 2024 campaign.
New Era
Former Saints head coach Dennis Allen is expected to be the new defensive coordinator of the Bears, joining Ben Johnson.
Johnson is trying to create an elite staff so the Bears can get back to competing. This is easier said than done, but this is a major start to changing the future in the Windy City.
