Ben Johnson’s hiring by the Chicago Bears isn’t officially official just yet. However, we can add the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs to the list of reputable reporters sharing the news that it is on the cusp of officially happening. Biggs reports (via Twitter/X) that Johnson is expected to make his way to Chicago on Tuesday, sign his contract, and begin his tenure as the Bears’ head coach.
Things have accelerated quickly to get to this point. So if you’re feeling a little dizzy following today’s news, just know that you’re not alone. And if you want a better idea of how we made it here, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero — who broke the news of Johnson’s imminent hiring in Chicago — explains it in this video here:
More on today’s breaking news: Ben Johnson is the #Bears’ new head coach. pic.twitter.com/kmF1wKEf9z
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 20, 2025
Words from Tom P.:
“The dynamic certainly changed once the Lions lost that game and Ben Johnson was suddenly available to do a second interview or be hired right now. Well, it never even came to doing a second round of interviews. The negotiations ramped up this morning between the Bears and Ben Johnson and they were able to strike a deal to make him the new head coach of the Chicago Bears. This is a situation where Ben Johnson was always the No. 1 target for Chicago. And Ben Johnson, despite overtures from the Raiders – who made a strong push for him – and the Jaguars, he wanted to be in Chicago as well.”
Shoutout to the Washington Commanders for making quick work of the Detroit Lions on Saturday to put the ball in motion. I’m sending my sincerest gratitude out to fans of D.C.’s football team. I’m not over what happened on that Hail Mary. But this helps bring balance to The Force. And I appreciate that.
The Chicago Bears moved aggressively to hire Ben Johnson
My biggest takeaway from the video above is that the Bears made it known that Ben Johnson was their guy. Sure, they lined up 20+ candidates for interview requests. And they interviewed at least 10 of those coaches. But Chicago’s football team making it known to Johnson that he was the franchise’s top target probably helped in the decision-making process on the coach’s end.
The other notable thing from the report featuring Tom Pelissero is how the Bears moved quickly to do the obvious thing. Bears fans are not accustomed to seeing this team make sensible moves. It simply isn’t something this franchise has done often in the last few decades. So for it to happen with the pending Ben Johnson hire is certainly an eyebrow-raising moment. Additionally, that the team moved quickly to make it happen also stands out. This franchise doesn’t tend to be aggressive or think progressively … so that they did it with this hire suggests that things are changing under the leadership of President Kevin Warren. How about that!?
What’s next for the Bears and Ben Johnson is to make this deal officially official. Once that happens, then we can dig into some more fun stuff. For instance, we can begin discussing potential fits for his staff.
Earlier, we discussed a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter in which the NFL insider shares what he has heard about Johnson lining up assistants for a “star-studded” coaching staff. If you’ll recall, Bears upper management reportedly has given the front office the green light to spend on a coach and his staff. I imagine that was helpful in luring the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator to Chicago. Dennis Allen, a long-time defensive coach and former NFL head coach, is reportedly a top candidate to be Johnson’s defensive coordinator with the Bears. However, I imagine more names will surface in connection with that gig.
There is still so much I want to dig into when it comes to Ben Johnson’s impending hire. But we’re off to a good start. More to come soon.