Even though it ended with a bitter playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Ben Johnson's first season as the Chicago Bears' head coach will go down as a great success (a division title and a playoff win), and the future is very bright.
Johnson and his coaching staff set a tone their predecessors were incapable of setting, and it showed in how the players performed on the field. That's a great credit to Johnson, who wanted to create a culture and found coaches who could help him set it in their more focused work with their given position groups.
But even just one season into a head coach's tenure, there are certain products of success. Other existing head coaches who are making changes to their staffs want to tap into that success by hiring assistant coaches away. As new head coaches shape their staffs, those coveted assistants have opportunities on that front, too, if they want to entertain them.
Bears may lose an assistant coach quickly after playoff loss
Before the Bears' playoff loss to the Rams, Arrowhead Corner reported the Kansas City Chiefs are "internally reviewing" offensive coordinator options, with Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy emerging as the top candidate.
"Sources: The #Chiefs are internally reviewing OC options, with Bears RBs coach Eric Bieniemy currently emerging as the top candidate."
"Other names aren’t ruled out. Chicago’s playoff outcome tonight could influence the timeline."
The last caveat, about the Bears' playoff outcome influencing the timeline for the Chiefs to hire an offensive coordinator or interview/hire Bieniemy, is now a moot point with Chicago's season over.
Of course the Chiefs are in the market for an offensive coordinator because current coordinator (and former Bears head coach) Matt Nagy has emerged as the favorite to become the next head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Bieniemy was the Chiefs' offensive coordinator from 2018-2022, between Nagy's two stints in the role. He also carries great familiarity there, from nine total seasons on Andy Reid's staff (2013-2022), and his season in Chicago has revived his coaching stock.
The idea the Chiefs could pursue Bieniemy if/when they have to replace Nagy traces back to a report from Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network early this month.
ESPN's Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini of The Athletic have both reported on Monday morning the Chiefs are requesting permission to interview Bienemy for their offensive coordinator post. Russini added that he expects to take the job and that the "wheels had been in motion" for a few weeks.
The possibility Bieniemy would return to Kansas City as offensive coordinator has been gaining steam, and he presumably communicated that to Johnson.
Read more: Ben Johnson just needed one word to describe Caleb Williams' game-tying TD pass
So the Bears' head coach will not be caught off guard, even if it'll be less than ideal to replace a key staff member after just one season.