Ben Johnson can bolster his Coach of the Year candidacy against Green Bay

Ben Johnson is currently tied for the fourth-best odds (+800) to win the NFL's Coach of the Year Award. However, he has a chance to pull away from the crowd if he can lead the Bears to a win over Green Bay on Saturday night.

There's no denying the impact that Johnson has had on the Bears this season. However, he's one of three first-year head coaches who have completely turned around the fortunes of their respective franchises.

Coach of the Year front-runner Mike Vrabel (+150 odds) has led the Patriots to an 11-3 record one year after the team finished 4-13. He's proven to be exactly what New England needed and is a worthy candidate to win the award.

Meanwhile, Liam Coen's Jaguars currently lead the NFC South with a 10-4 record and are one of the hottest teams in the league. He deserves much credit for turning around their 4-13 record from last season. I'm honestly a bit surprised to see that he's tied for fourth (+800) in the Coach of the Year rankings.

I'm also surprised that Ben Johnson hasn't received more love in those rankings.

They're both well behind Seahawks' coach Mike Macdonald, who has the second-best odds (+200) after Seattle came away with a thrilling 38-37 win over the Rams last night, and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan (+400). While both teams are having great seasons in their own right, and San Francisco, specifically, has endured devastating injuries to some of their best players, my main grievance with their place in the rankings is.. weren't they supposed to be good?

The Seahawks have had a winning record in four straight seasons. The 49ers might be coming off a disappointing year, but they've made the Super Bowl or been a game away from it in four out of the previous five seasons before last year's 6-11 season. No one has questioned the talent on their roster.

Again, I know the 49ers have dealt with countless injuries, and their 10-4 record is impressive as a result, but why doesn't Johnson get similar recognition by the oddsmakers? Not only did absolutely no one have the Bears pegged for a 10-4 record through 14 weeks, but no one would've guessed they'd already have double-digit wins with the amount of injuries they've experienced.

pic.twitter.com/86mFNIlvoj
— Nick Whalen (@_NickWhalen) December 16, 2025

Nevertheless, I digress.

Ben Johnson has a chance to make up some serious ground in the COTY race if Chicago beats Green Bay on Saturday.

The stakes have truly never been higher. A win against Green Bay would also make the Bears' signature win in Philadelphia look like any other non-divisional game. That one was impressive, but it would pale in comparison.

With a win, the Bears would put themselves in a great position to win the NFC North. They'd be a game-and-a-half ahead of Green Bay in the division race with only two games to go. They would effectively need to lose both of their remaining games to not come out on top in the standings, and they would need the Packers and Lions both to win out to not make the playoffs.

The fact that the win would come against their hated rival, who has had the Bears' number so often over the previous two decades, wouldn't be lost on the oddsmakers. Matt LaFleur is 12-1 against Chicago since becoming Green Bay's head coach in 2019. They've never faced off in a game of this magnitude, though.

As for the Coach of the Year landscape goes, the Patriots are currently three-point underdogs in Baltimore this weekend. I'm not sure a New England loss would be enough to remove Vrabel from the COTY throne, but he might have to make some room for Ben Johnson if the Bears come away with a win on Saturday night.

Not that Johnson cares at all, though. I can't imagine he's worried about anything else other than the win right now.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

More Chicago Bears News

Vegas seemingly doesn't know what to make of the Bears' recent success

How does the Bears current roster stack up to the 2018 team?

Did the Bears find something special in D'Marco Jackson?

Injuries to Bears' receivers could open the door for two preseason standouts