Ben Johnson has been the hottest name on the head coaching circuit ahead of the 2025 cycle. This isn’t a surprise. The NFL is all about young offensive wizards these days, and the 38-year-old has been on a heater for the past three years with the Detroit Lions. They once again have one of the best offenses in the NFL and are positioned to claim the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs. That kind of success with a franchise that has been one of the worst for decades was always going to get noticed.
What makes it more interesting for the Chicago Bears is that Johnson apparently has interest in their job specifically. That was the case last January before the decision was made to keep Matt Eberflus. That hasn’t gone away. Johnson is ready and willing to accept an interview with Chicago. What hasn’t been known is what level of interest the Bears have in him. According to SearSTower, a Twitter handle with surprisingly accurate info over the past couple of months, it suggests it goes far deeper than what’s been reported.
There were indications that GM Ryan Poles had actually started researching the Lions coordinator in the middle of last season when things were going bad for Eberflus. So it’s safe to assume they already had plenty of information on the young coach. His ongoing success seems to have only reinforced their conviction that he is what they need to point this team in the right direction. It would be a gamble. Despite his obvious offensive prowess, he’s never been a head coach at any level. The responsibilities are different.
Still, the logic is easy to understand. The Bears need to maximize quarterback Caleb Williams. He is their future and the catalyst for any contending they want to do. Finding him a top offensive mind to pair with is perfectly logical. This trend has found success in several locations across the NFL. Even Chicago briefly benefitted from it with Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky in 2018. The hope is Ben Johnson and Williams will make a far more lucrative pairing.
