It's been apparent since Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson became the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator back in 2022 that he was a mastermind on offense.
What Johnson has proven in 2025 is that he is just as good a head coach as he is an offensive coordinator. His Bears are off to an 8-3 start, first in the NFC North, and in the running for the NFC's first seed.
When asked about Johnson and facing him in Week 13, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio praised his mind and how he runs the offense.
"It's a great scheme. They do a great job calling the game, mixing it up, marrying their run game and their pass game. They're highly ranked in a lot of areas, and I don't think it's any accident. They’ve got really good players, and it's a great scheme and a great play caller."
"Ben does a good job of mixing it up. They package things well together. They play multiple personnel groups, and they're under center a good bit, probably more than most teams in this league. Kudos to him and his staff for bringing that young quarterback along, who I don't think ever played under center in college. He's doing a great job, and they have fought through any of the pitfalls of that, and now they’ve got a quarterback that is executing their offense the way they want to."
Johnson is getting praise from everyone, including his opponents
It's hard to ignore the impact that Johnson is having on the Bears' offense and the team as a whole. He has singlehandedly transformed this team from a five-win disaster to an eight-win juggernaut.
Chicago is sixth in the NFL in total offense, averaging 369.9 yards per game, second in rushing yards per game with 142.3, and eighth in points with 26.3 points per game. Those are truly numbers that don't lie.
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The Bears are about to face one of the best defenses in the NFL with the Eagles, but with the well-balanced attack Chicago has on offense, they are ready for anything that comes their way.