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Chicago Bears' 2026 Super Bowl Odds Skyrocket Following Ben Johnson Hiring
The Chicago Bears have a new head coach, and Vegas has taken notice.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Chicago is finalizing a deal with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be their next head coach.
Bear down: Chicago is finalizing a deal to hire Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as its next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Bears are getting their man. pic.twitter.com/UwlLk3wNJZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2025
Following the reported hiring, the odds for the Bears to win the Super Bowl next season have skyrocketed at DraftKings Sportsbook. After sitting at +6000 on Sunday, the Bears have shifted all the way up to +4000 with Johnson now at the helm.
Those odds have the Bears tied with the likes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings and just behind the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans.
Johnson led the Lions to the No. 1 scoring offense and the No. 2 offense in terms of yardage in the 2024 season. Over the last two seasons, Detroit has ranked fifth and first in total points and third and second in total yards.
After a brutal 2024 season where Chicago fired Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shan Waldron before the end of the campaign, there is some hope for Bears fans.
Johnson should bring some stability to the offense, and quarterback Caleb Williams will have an elite play-caller leading him going into the 2025 season.
During the 2024 season, Chicago lost 10 of its last 11 games after a 4-2 start. Williams showed some promise as a rookie, throwing for 3,541 yards and 20 scores, but he also took an NFL-high 68 sacks.
At +4000, the Bears have an implied probability of 2.44 percent to win the Super Bowl next season. Regardless if you believe the Bears can make the Super Bowl or not, it is pretty clear that oddsmakers believe they have gotten better by hiring Johnson.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.