Chicago Bears Hiring Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson As Next Head Coach

The Chicago Bears coaching search is finally over. The Bears and former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson have agreed to terms and finalized a deal. At 38 years old, Johnson was the most sought-after coach in arguably one of the most acclaimed talent pools in NFL history. Johnson has been the architect of the record-breaking Detroit Lions offense that has taken the league by storm.

The Detroit Lions have scored 29.0 points per game since 2022, the most in the NFL over those three years. They have also scored 182 touchdowns over the last three seasons, leading the NFL. The thought of former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams with a coach like Johnson is enticing. The Bears have to make leaps in roster construction before they should expect best-in-the-league production, but they presumably have the two most important pieces: a quarterback and a 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

Although young, Johnson has over a decade of experience in the National Football League. Johnson began his professional coaching career with the Miami Dolphins in 2012 as an offensive assistant. He then spent six seasons in Miami working as everything from an assistant to tight ends coach to assistant quarterbacks coach and assistant wide receivers coach. In 2019, Johnson made the journey to Detroit where he worked his way from quality control to offensive coordinator.

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"Do whatever it takes to get Ben Johnson and then I need to have a conversation with George [McCaskey]. . . . Break down from a football standpoint why these firings [since 2012] happen," - said Chicago Bears former All-Pro and Pro Bowl offensive guard Kyle Long to ESPN’s Kevin Clark on the "This Is Football" show.

The Bears faithful got their man. Despite all the major names being thrown around and the bevy of coaches being interviewed, Johnson was always the favorite between Chicago media, former players, and fans alike. Even young quarterback Caleb Williams was always subtly hinting at the idea of Johnson being the guy. The now infamous prank text where a Chicago Bears fan found Caleb Williams’s number and pretended to be Ben Johnson now takes on a whole new life as well.

I asked @Ky1eLong, who loves the Bears, how he'd fix them.

"Do whatever it takes to get Ben Johnson and then I need to have a conversation with George [McCaskey]...break down from a football standpoint why these firings [since 2012] happen."

This Is Football was *awesome*. pic.twitter.com/CwA0RnxbJJ
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) January 20, 2025

Per ESPN’s senior insider Adam Schefter, Johnson has hit the ground running and is already putting together an experience-laden coaching staff. According to reports, the new leading candidate to become Johnson’s defensive coordinator in Chicago is former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen. Allen orchestrated some of the league’s best defenses during his time as the defensive coordinator under Sean Payton.

There hasn’t been a more exciting time to be a Bears fan since their Super Bowl run in the mid-2000s. Now all eyes turn to free agency and the NFL Draft.

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