Over the past several weeks, Chicago Bears fans have become enamored with the idea of Ben Johnson getting hired as the next head coach. It’s understandable. The 38-year-old has guided one of the best offenses in football for three straight years, reviving the career of Jared Goff and turning the Detroit Lions into a Super Bowl contender. Word surfaced earlier in the year that Johnson had an interest in the Bears job but chose to stay in Detroit after news broke that Matt Eberflus was staying. Now, the job is officially open, and Johnson is still available.
Multiple insiders have hinted the interest is still there. The belief is Johnson would only take interviews with teams whose jobs he was genuinely intrigued by. That is what makes Courtney Cronin’s update via ESPN so important.
Sources confirmed to ESPN that Johnson, the Lions’ offensive coordinator, is expected to interview for the Bears’ head coaching vacancy. Detroit put up 400-plus yards of offense for a third time in four games and jumped out to an early 20-0 lead. Conversely, Johnson, who praised quarterback Caleb Williams for how the ball “whistles” when he throws it, got a good look at a strong performance from the rookie.
Ben Johnson isn’t even trying to hide his interest anymore.
It’s been obvious for months. The belief is most of it stems from his fascination with quarterback Caleb Williams, who worked at the QB Collective for years, a tutoring camp run by Johnson’s agent. The Bears quarterback had two excellent performances against the Lions, showcasing the immense potential he carries as a #1 overall pick. Ben Johnson isn’t stupid. He likely recognizes what he could do for his career if he elevates Williams and pulls the Bears out of the mud. People would build statues of him on Michigan Avenue.
Two big hurdles must be cleared. In his interview, Johnson must show the team brass that he has a plan for the organization and can withstand the immense pressure that comes with the job. Conversely, the Bears must show him they’re serious about winning, which hasn’t always been the case in recent years. The belief is the presence of GM Ryan Poles could be the most complicating factor. Stay tuned.
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Tomlin is old school. I was glad Poles traded JF to him. Not the Steelers, not the GM, but to the HC. He will put JF in position for long term success without ruining him. Tomlin is not an OC, but he’s also not our last several HCs. Nagy should never have played him his rookie year. Sit down and STFU rookie, and listen to Foles and Dalton for a year.
Wins and losses are a team stat; unfortunately, it gets pinned on a QB. You can’t compare JF and CW side by side and come to the conclusion that JF gives you a better chance to win. He doesn’t, and it is quite obvious now. @Bears57, the so-called stat padding is way overblown. He brought the team back against the Lions in the first game with a chance to tie at the end. His coach, who is responsible for timeouts, didn’t call one. High school head coaches know to call a timeout in that situation. The game first game against… Read more »
JMHO, but if you’re a fan of Fields, you don’t want him to play 6 games this year. You should want him to ride the bench and learn how to play the position. Otherwise, he’s going to catch a beat down and have a short career like Cam.
It’s not fair to label Caleb as Mahomes, who many teams missed on. However, he does have that ceiling of be able to win multiple SBs. Sure, QBs can always win a SB. CW is the type that can carry that success over to the next year, and beyond. I said it before, he reminds me of Roberto Alomar with the way he can turn the corner and throw. A forward thinking offensive mind could utilize that as a weapon, especially if you have a RB capable of hitting the gaps with some burst and power. Any other draft, I… Read more »
I think most of us are in that boat and are just supremely frustrated with a team that displays zero accountability to it’s fan base.