Ben Johnson: Best head coach hire since Sean McVay? One (well-respected) man thinks so

Ben Johnson has injected a winning culture into Chicago's locker room. He has already been a home run signing, and the team isn't done yet.

Dec 14, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson walks along the sideline during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Remember when some thought that Ben Johnson might not be anything more than a good offensive coordinator? That he couldn't lead a team the same way he led the Lions' offense to three-straight top-five seasons in total points and yards?

We're only 14 games into the Ben Johnson Chicago Bears experience, and it's already safe to say those fears were unwarranted. In fact, it's safe to say they were downright wrong.

He's the real deal.

He is such a real deal, in fact, that he's made Colin Cowherd, who was formerly a Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams, and all things Chicago Bears skeptic, do a complete 180. He's not only all in on them being a contender, but he thinks Johnson has a chance to be an all-time great hire for the Bears.

"Ben Johnson is the best first-time head coaching hire since Sean McVay... It's very difficult to develop a young quarterback and simultaneously win games."@colincowherd thinks the Bears are serious title contenders in Johnson's first year pic.twitter.com/8sTjUipXdM

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 15, 2025

Very high praise. It's not hard to see where he's coming from either.

Sean McVay inherited a team that went 4-12 and a league-worst offense (both in terms of total points and yards) and immediately took them to the playoffs with an 11-5 record. His offense finished first (!!!) in points and tenth in total yards.

Johnson, on the other hand, took over a team that went 5-12 and had an offense that ranked 28th in points and 32nd in yards. He immediately turned them into a serious contender. The Bears currently sit at 10-4 and are ninth in points and fifth in total yards. Ridiculous improvement in both scenarios.

Both coaches also took over teams that selected a quarterback with the first overall pick the prior year. Interestingly, the Rams' first overall quarterback was Jared Goff, who resurrected his career under Johnson in Detroit.

The main difference between the two is that McVay was a surprising hire when the Rams hired him. The decision was met with much skepticism due to him being relatively unproven at 30 years old (he was the youngest head coach in NFL history). There was concern that he'd have command over the locker room.

Meanwhile, there were similar concerns around Johnson, but he had the Lions offense humming over his three years as their offensive coordinator. He was one of the most highly sought-after candidates over the last three coaching cycles. The Bears finally went out and landed a big fish, and he's been worth every penny thus far.

There are also parallels with their respective coaching careers. McVay and Johnson both started as offensive assistants before becoming tight end coaches and subsequently moved up the coaching ranks from there.

They're now lauded as two of the top head coaches in the NFL. What a world we live in, where that has become somewhat of an unquestioned fact about the Bears' head coach.

I don't know about you, but I think Chicago would accept eight winning seasons and one Super Bowl win in Johnson's first nine years at the helm.

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