Luke Getsy is out. The offensive coordinator spent the last two years trying to get things off the ground. Sadly, things didn’t progress in 2023 the way many had hoped. Getsy didn’t seem to have a firm grasp of play calling during his time on the headset, leading to constant mistakes and an inability to execute in critical situations. That was on display once again in Green Bay, where the Packers held the Chicago Bears to nine points. That was likely the final nail in his coffin. Getsy and most of his offensive staff were dismissed by head coach Matt Eberflus, signaling a major overhaul.
Now comes the hard part: finding a replacement. Since Eberflus was the one who hired Getsy in the first place, plenty of people aren’t optimistic he’ll get it right on the second try. Still, he will forge ahead. In fact, there is one name already on his list. A source informed SM that the Bears have interest in speaking to Houston Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson about the job.
Johnson was a journeyman quarterback who bounced around the NFL for seven seasons. After retiring, he began coaching as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 before moving to the Indianapolis Colts in 2019. He rose to become an offensive quality control coach there before shifting over to Minnesota as an assistant quarterbacks coach in 2022. This year, he was instrumental in helping C.J. Stroud produce one of the most impressive rookie passing seasons in NFL history.
For starters, he has direct ties to Eberflus. The two worked together in Indianapolis for three seasons. Secondly, he understands the quarterback position well, both as a former player and coach. If the Bears intend to draft a quarterback in April, it makes sense to put somebody in charge who knows how to speak the language. Last but not least, he has some experience in the wide-zone offensive scheme the Bears run. He worked in it under Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota and again this year under Bobby Slowik.
So, it is easy to see the appeal. The downside is obvious. Johnson is only 35 years old. He’s never been an offensive coordinator before or called plays. That makes it impossible to predict how he would handle the call sheet if he got the job. He’s had loads of experience working under some good ones. Andy Reid, Darrell Bevell, Shanahan, and O’Connell are some examples. That is a pretty strong education. It will be interesting to see if they’re granted an interview or if he is interested in the job.
Don’t forget Johnson spent some time with the Chicago Bears in 2013 and 2014.
