The Chicago Bears aren’t wasting any time trying to talk to two of the most coveted head coaching candidates this hiring cycle.
After firing former head coach Matt Eberflus hours after a disastrous final seconds in a Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions, general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears have requested to interview Detroit’s two coordinators, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn for their vacancy.
Johnson has chosen to return to the Lions each of the past two offseasons after interviewing for several top jobs across the league. However, it will be interesting to see if the chance to coach former No. 1 overall pick quarterback Caleb Williams is too tantalizing to pass up this time around.
The Lions’ offense finished the regular season ranked second in total offense, averaging 424.9 yards per game, second in passing offense, averaging 263.2 yards per game, sixth in rushing offense per game, averaging 146.4 yards per game, and were the league’s most prolific scoring offense at 33.2 points per game.
Plucking Johnson, and all of his institutional knowledge of how what makes the Lions successful, and replicating it around a Bears offense that includes Williams, running back D’Andre Swift, and wide receivers D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze could send shockwaves through not just the NFC North but across the NFL.
Likewise, Aaron Glenn has experienced a breakout season as the Lions’ defensive coordinator and it is little surprise that he has become a hot commodity as teams across the league begin their coaching search.
In the regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions’ defense stifled playmaking wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, holding the dynamic duo to just 54 receiving yards while harassing quarterback Sam Darnold with relentless and exotic blitz packages that kept the resurgent quarterback in check all night long.
Under Glenn’s tutelage this season, the Lions held opponents to 20.1 points per game, seventh-fewest in the league.
Much like Johnson, Glenn has the potential to elevate the Bears because of his experience around Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense.
The Bears face the most important coaching hire in recent franchise history, and could make a major splash while dinging a bitter rival in the process.
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