Bears’ Coaching Search Heats Up: Bears Pursuing Rival Coordinator to Revive Team
The Chicago Bears have a franchise-altering decision to do this offseason. After firing Matt Eberflus in the middle of the season, they are in need of a new head coach. This new head coach would most likely be the one responsible for developing 2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams, who is having a rough rookie season.
There are a lot of names floating around as the Bears’ next head coach. That includes former Seattle Seahawks guru Pete Carroll, among other notable names. However, one name stands out particularly for Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
“One name that is expected to be part of the process: coveted Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is intrigued by the job and is going to listen,” Rapoport and Pelissero reported for NFL.com.
Johnson has long been a popular candidate in the NFL coaching carousel, and for good reason. Johnson is the architect of the Lions’ wildly creative yet successul offense. Under his scheme, the Lions have ranked fourth, third, and second in yards per game from 2022 to 2024. This season, Detroit is the highest scoring team with 32.9 points per game.
The Bears would be the ideal coaching job for an offensive mind like Johnson. While the Chicago doesn’t boast the same star power as their rivals in Michigan, they have a promising core of players.
Williams was a highly-touted QB prospect and has shown flashes of his skills. DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze form a deadly receiving core. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson isn’t quite like Detroit’s Sonic and Knuckles duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but they are solid in their own right.
Last season, Johnson forgoed many coaching opportunities to chase a title with Detroit in 2024. Perhaps this time around, the star offensive coordinator would consider going up against the Lions’ monster offense that he helped create.
