UPDATE: It’s Happening. Check out our full, updated post for all of the up-to-date information.
***Original post follows***
This week’s obsessive Ben Johnson watch is starting with a bang.
NFL reporter Josina Anderson shares the news that sources around the NFL believe the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is “deeply considering” the Chicago Bears head coaching gig:
Josina Anderson isn’t one of the highest-profile NFL newsbreakers. However, Anderson is a long-tenured NFL reporter who has spent time with ESPN and CBS Sports. Hence, she is someone whose updates are worth checking into and reading as we gather intel about the Chicago Bears’ search for a new head coach.
This is the kind of update that makes me think that the tide could be turning in the Bears’ favor. To be clear, I feel as if there is a long way to go before we get to an officially official post. But this might be the most encouraging update we’ve seen on this front in a while. And you know what … I’ll take it. Let the good vibes roll and we’ll adjust if and when necessary.
Besides, it would make sense that Ben Johnson would be “deeply considering” taking the Bears gig. The opportunity to work with Caleb Williams and build a legacy in Chicago makes this particular job opening different than others. It isn’t perfect. But there is a lot to like about this job.
Plus, things would look a whole lot more appealing in Chicago if Ben Johnson was calling the shots. Even the most cynical parts of me can’t deny that. And while this isn’t to say there aren’t other interesting candidates worth considering for the position, let’s call it what it is: Johnson is the best candidate with the most upside who could be hired for this position. The Bears would be foolish not to take a big swing at this one.
Will Ben Johnson land with the Chicago Bears?
If you’ll recall, the Bears wasted little time in reaching out to request and secure an interview with Ben Johnson and did so on the first day of the team’s offseason. Chicago lined up and completed a virtual interview with its presumed top target on the first Saturday of the offseason during the Lions’ bye week.
There was a time in late December when Chicago’s football team was seen as the “best bet” to hire Johnson. But since then, the Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as a real threat to hire the highly coveted coaching candidate to fill the team’s vacancy. If Vegas pulls it off, it would speak volumes about how much pull Tom Brady has in his role as a minority owner.
MORE: The Latest on Ben Johnson and the Bears Coaching Search
The conversation surrounding Ben Johnson, the Bears, and the Raiders has been fascinating to follow. In some moments, it feels like Johnson going to the Raiders is inevitable. However, there has been chatter that a Johnson-Raiders pairing isn’t a sure thing. At first blush, I can understand how that would come off as big cope energy. But even ESPN’s top NFL insiders began pumping the brakes on that talk. It makes for some stressful and anxiety-filled times for those of us who are closely following this news.
CHICAGO BEARS HEAD COACH CANDIDATE POWER RANKINGS: JANUARY 20, 2025 (UPDATE)
In the end, this is a worthwhile update — especially since it comes off the heels of vibes suggesting that the Raiders would move quickly to bring Ben Johnson in as their next head coach. And while I suppose that could still happen, it sure seems as if the Bears aren’t going down without a fight. This is fun. But it would be more fun if the dust settles and Johnson is the next Chicago Bears head coach. Stay tuned.
