Here's How Much New Bears Coach Ben Johnson is Reportedly Getting Paid

His salary is up there for a first-year head coach.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on September 15, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears have hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to right the ship of their ailing franchise, and early reports suggest they're paying him a pretty penny to do so.

Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the "early figure" for Johnson's contract is $13 million per season, $5 million more than the roughly $8 million first-year head coaches earn on average.

Though he has no head coaching experience or Super Bowl wins under his belt, Johnson was one of the most coveted picks this hiring cycle thanks to the Lions' high-octane offense, which led the league in points scored this season. Both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders were said to be interested, as well, but it's possible that Johnson was enticed by the idea of working with and developing Chicago's rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, among other selling points that brought him to the midwest.

For comparison against the 2024 season, Johnson's reported salary would fall behind the Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid ($20 million), Denver Broncos' Sean Payton ($18 million), Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin ($16 million), Los Angeles Chargers' Jim Harbaugh ($16 million), Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay ($15 million), and San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Shanahan ($14 million), but would come in one million ahead of the Baltimore Ravens' John Harbaugh ($12 million), per Front Office Sports.

Especially if he's getting paid like this, Johnson has a lot to prove once he takes the reigns in Chicago. The mandate is clear: the Bears will be looking for their first playoff appearance since 2020, and a better record than the dismal 5–12 with which they rounded out this current season.

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