The Chicago Bears have seldom made "home run hires" in the last few years, but they appear to have finally struck gold with their latest head coaching decision. Much-hyped Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who build the top scoring offense in the league in 2024, will succeed Matt Eberflus as Bears head coach.
This move comes as a bit of a surprise to many football fans, as there have been rumors of Johnson being courted by Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders. In the end, the silver and black were spurned, as Johnson was chomping at the bit to try to fix the Bears.
Johnson was attracted to the Bears, despite the presence of a chaotic organizational structure and a very difficult division, due to the possibility of coaching former No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. The allure of Williams' rocket arm helped the Bears win out for the most coveted coach on the market.
The Raiders were reportedly offering Johnson more money, the chance to work alongside Brady, and the ability to pick his own general manager. The fact he turned that down to become Williams' newest coach says a lot about what he believes No. 18 is capable of.
Ben Johnson turned down more money from Raiders to sign with Bears
The Raiders have no idea who their starting quarterback will be, play in an equally tough division, and have no other high-end offensive skill position players outside of Brock Bowers. Why would Johnson bet what could be his only head coaching job on a roster like that when Williams is out there?
Williams impressed during his rookie season, throwing 20 touchdown passes against just six interceptions despite constant coaching turnover and a terrible offensive line. The Johnson factor could unlock all the potential housed in Williams' body.
If Johnson is going to turn Williams into a star, like he did with Jared Goff, he will first need to build an elite offensive line. This is much easier said than done, but Johnson's role in turning Detroit into a well-oiled machine on offense could help Williams slowly correct his big flaw of holding onto the ball too long.
After years of poor offensive management, the Bears finally landed a mad scientist that can get the most out of their promising young quarterback. If everything goes as planned, Johnson and Williams may end up rewriting the Chicago passing record book.