Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson may be the “belle of the ball” when it comes to the NFL coaching carousel this offseason. It’s widely expected he will leave the Lions to become a lead man in 2025, but he may stick in the NFC North. According to NFL Media, Johnson is intrigued by the Chicago Bears’ head-coaching job, and he’ll be willing to listen.
The Bears job will arguably be the most attractive opening this offseason. Not only do they have their prospective franchise quarterback in place with Caleb Williams, but many argued he had the most favorable situation for a No. 1 overall quarterback in recent memory.
Chicago acquired its top three wide receivers over the last two offseasons, signed a new RB1 in D’Andre Swift and made several notable additions on defense as well, such as Montez Sweat, T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds. The Bears also rank top five in projected cap space this offseason, have some extra draft capital and then there’s a new stadium coming as well. Plus, Chicago is one of the biggest sports markets in the country.
The 38-year-old Johnson has created one of the most formidable offensive attacks in football. The Lions currently lead the NFL in scoring (32.8 points per game), and rank No. 2 in total offense (403.9 yards per game) after finishing in the top five in both categories last year. The Lions have won 12 games in consecutive seasons, and are favorites to win Super Bowl LIX.
Johnson could have his pick of NFL jobs this offseason, and it certainly would be interesting if he remains in the NFC North to play his former team twice a year.
