In a major coaching move, the Chicago Bears are finalizing a deal to make Ben Johnson their new head coach.
Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, had drawn significant attention from across the league, with Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders showing strong interest.
However, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, many are “pretty surprised” by Johnson’s decision to accept the Bears’ offer.
But honestly, it doesn’t take an insider to see why he’s choosing Chicago—there’s real potential with this opportunity.
“Ben Johnson picked the Bears because of the quarterback,” Russini wrote. “It’s that simple.”
Ben Johnson picked the Bears because of the quarterback.
It’s that simple.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 20, 2025
Russini also weighed in on social media, sharing, “While it makes sense Ben Johnson took the Chicago job, people around the league are pretty surprised right now.”
While it makes sense Ben Johnson took the Chicago job, people around the league are pretty surprised right now.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 20, 2025
The Bears haven’t reached the playoffs since 2020, when they finished with an 8-8 record and were eliminated by the New Orleans Saints in the wild-card round.
Chicago hasn’t had a 10-win season since 2018, when they went 12-4 but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round.
With just one Super Bowl victory (1985) and eight NFL championships before the merger, it’s clear the Bears are looking for a resurgence.
Caleb Williams, selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC, had a challenging rookie season, finishing with a 5-12 record.
He threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions. However, his college career was nothing short of spectacular.
In 2022, Williams passed for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He dominated that season, winning the Heisman, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and earning unanimous All-American honors.
