The Chicago Bears swung for the fences after reportedly hiring Ben Johnson as their new head coach, and fans are quickly getting up to speed on the team’s new leader.
When the deal is made official, Johnson will become the 18th full-time head coach in Bears history, and he’ll be looking to help bring the team back to NFL relevance as he takes the reins in Chicago.
Here’s some quick insight into the Bears’ new head coach.
How did Johnson get into coaching?
According to The Detroit News, during his collegiate playing career at North Carolina, Johnson was inspired to get into coaching by UNC offensive coordinator John Shoop.
If that name sounds familiar to Bears fans, it’s because Shoop was the one-time offensive coordinator of the Bears, working with the team for five seasons under former head coach Dick Jauron.
Johnson’s first coaching gig was as a graduate assistant at Boston College, where Bears general manager Ryan Poles had served as an assistant in the season prior.
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From there, Johnson jumped to the NFL ranks in 2012, joining the Miami Dolphins’ organization in a variety of roles.
When did Johnson get to Detroit?
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Johnson became an offensive quality control coach with the Lions in 2019, and was ultimately promoted to offensive coordinator before the 2022 season by head coach Dan Campbell.
According to data compiled by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Johnson’s scoring offense with the Lions was in the top-five in the NFL in each of his three seasons as the team’s coordinator, culminating in a league-leading 33.2 points per game during the 2024 season.
According to Schefter, that marked the first time since 1954 the Lions led the league in scoring offense.
The Lions’ offense was second-best in the league in overall yards and passing yards per game, and finished just outside the top-five in rushing yards per game during the 2024 campaign.
Has Johnson been a coaching candidate before?
Johnson interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars during the offseason, and also participated in a virtual interview with the Bears. According to reports, Johnson did not have an in-person interview with the Bears prior to his hire.
The Lions' former coordinator reportedly interviewed with three teams during the 2023 offseason, including the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers. He then opted to stay for one more season in Detroit.
According to ESPN, he had also interviewed for jobs with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts after the 2022 season.
How much will the Bears pay Johnson?
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, the contract Johnson plans to sign with the Bears would pay him an average of $13 million per season, which would be just outside of the top-five highest salaries in the league, according to Front Office Sports.
The number would also put him $2 million ahead of Campbell, his now-former boss with the Lions.
Who will be on Johnson’s staff?
That is the big question (at least after Johnson officially signs his deal with the Bears), but some names have already started to percolate.
Those include former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who could be a target to serve as the Bears’ new defensive coordinator. Allen was fired by the Saints during the 2024 season, but has seen success in other stops as a defensive coordinator during his NFL career.
The Bears are also reportedly giving a serious look to Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi to serve as their special teams coordinator, according to Schefter’s reporting.
While candidates to serve as Bears’ offensive coordinator have not yet emerged, Johnson would undoubtedly handle play-calling duties for the Bears.