As the Chicago Bears get set for a playoff push, there is plenty going on elsewhere. Thankfully, this time of year, the Bears aren't a team in a position to have to hire a new head coach or coordinator.
But, elsewhere? There's a lot of movement.
The Miami Dolphins opted to fire head coach Mike McDaniel, making him yet another casualty of the week, starting with Black Monday. Now, this doesn't necessarily affect the Bears right now.
But it could.
McDaniel immediately becomes a hot name for teams who need to hire an offensive coordinator and, as it just so happens, one particular Bears rival now needs a new offensive play caller.
Enter: Ben Johnson's former team, the Detroit Lions.
The Bears might see Detroit find their Ben Johnson replacement in Mike McDaniel
A year ago, Bears fans were laughing as Johnson came to Chicago, while we all knew the Lions would be worse off, offensively. And, just like that, Detroit ended up firing John Morton after just one year in the position.
Now, the Lions need yet another offensive coordinator, and McDaniel would be the perfect fit in Detroit. It's sad to say, but it's the truth. The thought of McDaniel in Detroit should strike fear into Chicago.
Sure, the Bears have their playoff berth, and the Lions will be watching from home. But what happens if Detroit gets a top-tier play caller like McDaniel? The Lions already went 2-0 against Johnson's Bears this year, and that was with Morton calling plays.
In 2026, they could have someone like McDaniel, making them even more dangerous to Chicago. McDaniel had some weapons in Miami over the last few years, and it didn't really matter who he had at running back; he'd find ways to make the run game a force.
Recently, it's been DeVon Achane. In Detroit, McDaniel would be licking his chops to put Jahmyr Gibbs to use.
In Miami, he had Tyreek Hill (when healthy) and Jaylen Waddle (also, when healthy). In Detroit, he'd have Amon-Ra St. Brown and the ascending youngster Isaac Teslaa.
There would be no shortage of weapons in Detroit for McDaniel to use, and the beauty of it from his perspective is the fact that he wouldn't have to worry about anything except the offense.
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Oh, and I'd say Jared Goff is a significant upgrade over Tua Tagovailoa.
The Lions would be reloading with a hire like McDaniel, and the rest of the NFC North would have to pay attention.