The entire trajectory of the Chicago Bears franchise has changed drastically in a matter of just 24 hours or so. Yesterday, the team agreed to terms in hiring their new head coach, Ben Johnson.
He was the top candidate on the market. Johnson was the name everyone wanted. He had been pursued heavily by the Las Vegas Raiders and, over the weekend, some reports suggested he would end up there.
But, in the end, the Bears somehow pulled this off. Johnson is the new head coach in Chicago, and he has wasted no time filling out his staff.
To begin with, Johnson hired former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen to be the team's defensive coordinator. Surely, that side of the ball is about to get a wake-up call.
But, that's not the only big name Johnson is looking to hire. There are, in fact, multiple coaches he's been rumored to bring to Chicago. And, another one of them also has connections to New Orleans.
Ben Johnson is eyeing Darren Rizzi as the Bears special teams coordinator
Bears also are heavily pursuing former Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi as their special teams coach, per sources. He has interest from over a half-dozen teams but if Rizzi doesn’t land a head coaching job, Chicago is his potential landing spot. https://t.co/ErIQmZ3te9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 20, 2025
Fans might recognize the name Darren Rizzi because he was, of course, the Saints' interim head coach after Dennis Allen was relieved this past season. Rizzi has also received head coaching interest from other teams, which is notable.
Bringing Rizzi to Chicago would make a lot of sense, but one of the reasons why could be the fact that he and Allen already have a relationship from their time together in New Orleans.
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For those counting at home, that would be two coordinators with previous head coaching experience; Allen having a few years, even.
Rizzi has long been seen as someone who could end up being a full-time head coach and has been respected in New Orleans for quite some time. If the Bears were able to land Rizzi along with Allen, that's a heck of a start to the staff.
Fans are also wondering just who Johnson's offensive coordinator is going to be. Of course, his coordinator is going to be more of a placeholder as Johnson is going to call the plays. But, if Johnson somehow manages to bring someone like Hank Fraley with him from Detroit, that's a significant hire.
Fraley is one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL and Detroit does not want to let him go. But, if he's offered a promotion under Johnson, it'll be hard to convince him to stay.