Bear Digest

NFL Network Report Says Ben Johnson Would Be Interested

A report by NFL Network says Ben Johnson would be interested in talking, but also says they expect to break ground on a stadium.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson at Soldier Field prior to Sunday's game with the Bears.
Ben Johnson at Soldier Field prior to Sunday's game with the Bears. | Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The rumor of Sunday is hardly a shocker but Tom Pelissero of NFL Network claims Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will "be willing to listen" to the Bears if they want to talk to him as coach.

Maybe the more startling information in Pelissero's report is about their stadium. Or maybe he was misspeaking.

"My understanding is Johnson is intrigued by the Bears job and is going to be willing to listen," Pelissero reported on NFL Network's pregame show. "There is a lot to like in Chicago with Caleb Williams, tons of cap space, extra draft resources, also a major market."

THE BEARS COACHING RUMOR MILL TRACKER

Then the topper, which he threw in almost as background, but if it was it's mistaken background:

"They're expected to break ground on a stadium next year," Pelissero said. "Team president Kevin Warren has a lot of connections around the league from his several decades in pro and college football."

Unless the Bears have located some unknown untapped cash resource, they're a few billion short on breaking ground with anyone.

The Illinois legislature didn't consider it and Gov. J.B. Pritzker said it's a "non-starter" relative to the money for a stadium at the south parking lot of Soldier Field.

The old Michael Reese hospital property south of McCormick Place on the lakefront is also being considered by the Bears but this also would require public funds for infrastructure.


The Bears are providing over $2 billion but estimates put the project up in the $5 billion range. They did get their tax situation cleared up in Arlington Heights but that didn't include an expenditure by anyone in Arlington Heights for a big infrastructure package.

The Bears own the Arlington International Racecourse property but even that would require plenty of public funding for infrastructure.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.