The Chicago Bears had plenty of talent, at least on paper, this season, but they were not able to put it together by any means.
Even though they got off to a solid 4-2 start, they stumbled to a 5-12 finish, largely due to a 10-game losing streak they didn’t snap until Week 18.
They do still have an opportunity to build a winning program, especially since quarterback Caleb Williams, who struggled this season as a rookie, is still thought to possess plenty of untapped talent.
There is buzz about who the Bears may hire to be their next head coach, and there seem to be two main candidates: former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Greg Olsen, a Fox broadcaster and former star tight end, feels Johnson is the best candidate for the Bears based on what he has done in Detroit, per ESPN Chicago.
“Right now, if I have an opportunity to hire Ben Johnson, I’m hiring Ben Johnson”
Greg Olsen tells @WaddleandSilvy and @TWaddle87 that he would hire Ben Johnson over Mike McCarthy
Listen to the show on the ESPN Chicago App: https://t.co/wW3aSvpL1C pic.twitter.com/WAqOxvUrPm
— ESPN Chicago (@ESPN1000) January 16, 2025
When Johnson became the Lions’ offensive coordinator for the 2022 season, the team was an embarrassment and was coming off four straight losing seasons.
It ranked 25th in points and 22nd in total yards in 2021, but in Johnson’s first year as offensive coordinator, it improved to fifth in scoring in fourth in total yards and nearly made the playoffs thanks to a hot streak in the second half of the season.
Over the last two years, Detroit has been a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and that success has made Johnson one of the hottest head coaching candidates across the NFL.
Bears fans have suffered for decades, and the franchise hasn’t had a true franchise quarterback since Sid Luckman in the 1940s, but perhaps Johnson, if he gets the job, could pull off another remarkable turnaround.
