Grading the Chicago Bears hiring Ben Johnson as next head coach

The Chicago Bears are finalizing a deal to make Ben Johnson the team's next head coach in a move that earns high marks for the franchise.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite rumors and speculation that the Chicago Bears would fall short in the Ben Johnson coaching sweepstakes, general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears are in the process of finalzing a contract that will make Johnson the team's next head coach.

Johnson, who's already assembling a superstar coaching staff for Chicago, will join the Bears with the massive task of developing Caleb Williams and restoring a winning culture inside Halas Hall.

There was really no other alternative for the Bears than to hire Johnson. He was considered the top coaching candidate in 2023 before deciding to return to Detroit this season, and after coaching the Lions offense to the highest-scoring unit in the NFL again in 2024, his stock was at an all-time high.

Ben Johnson speaks to the media during the Detroit Lions training camp — Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Lions finished the 2024 regular season ranked second in total yards per game, second in passing yards per game, sixth in rushing yards per game, and first in points per game. Detroit averaged a remarkable 33.2 points per contest.

Compare that to the Bears, who ranked in the bottom five at 18.2 points per game.

Johnson's appeal goes beyond just the numbers. He's one of the most creative and innovative play callers in the NFL, and at just 38 years old, fits the mold of other top young offensive minds who've gone on to have successful head coaching careers.

Most importantly, the work Johnson did with quarterback Jared Goff over the last few seasons is nothing short of incredible. Goff's career was resurrected under Johnson's watch, including a 2024 season in which he threw for 4,629 yards and a career-high 37 touchdowns.

The Bears, meanwhile, are still searching for their first-ever 4,000-yard passer.

The fact that general manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears decision-makers were able to land Ben Johnson is an incredible accomplishment. It's been way too easy to bash Poles, team president Kevin Warren, and chairman George McCaskey over the last few months (and years), but credit where credit is due. They aced this one.

Ben Johnson Grade: A+