Ben Johnson has done an impressive job building his coaching staff. At just 38 years old, he’s assembled a talented group that includes a balanced mix of experienced veterans, proven winners, and rising stars. On Sunday, he made two significant hires to round out his staff.

He brought in former Saints head coach and respected defensive guru Dennis Allen as the new defensive coordinator. Allen, a top target since Johnson’s hiring, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Chicago.

For the offensive coordinator role, Johnson opted for a younger approach, hiring former Denver Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle. At just 28 years old, Doyle is viewed as a rising offensive mind and now takes on a key leadership position in Chicago.

Ben Johnson has assembled a coaching staff full of experience and winners.

One of the new additions is OC Declan Doyle, who is 28 years old.

He was the tight ends coach in Denver and, surprisingly, doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. Doyle also graduated from Iowa in 2018.… pic.twitter.com/PbwOxdrWWV

— Dave (@dave_bfr) January 27, 2025

Here’s an updated look at Ben Johnson’s coaching staff as of Sunday, January 26.

Coaching Staff Overview

• Head Coach: Ben Johnson
• Assistant Head Coach: Antwaan Randle El
• Offensive Coordinator: Declan Doyle
• Defensive Coordinator: Dennis Allen

Offensive Staff:

• Offensive Coordinator: Declan Doyle
• Passing Game Coordinator: TBD
• Running Game Coordinator: TBD
• Quarterbacks Coach: JT Barrett
• Running Backs Coach: TBD
• Wide Receivers Coach: Antwaan Randle El (dual role as Assistant Head Coach)
• Tight Ends Coach: Jim Dray (status TBD)
• Offensive Line Coach: TBD

Defensive Staff:

• Defensive Coordinator: Dennis Allen
• Defensive Line Coach: Travis Smith (status TBD)
• Linebackers Coach: Dave Borgonzi (status TBD)
• Defensive Backs Coach/Passing Game Coordinator: Al Harris
• Safeties Coach: TBD

Special Teams:

• Special Teams Coordinator: Richard Hightower (retained)

At the end of the day, a few positions remain to be filled, but Ben Johnson has secured the key roles for his staff, and word around the league is that he’s done an excellent job.

Shocking Details Revealed About Ben Johnson And The Bears Deal

The Chicago Bears spent the past few days after hiring Ben Johnson as head coach figuring out their coordinator situation. Richard Hightower will be retained on special teams. The big ones were offense and defense. After conducting some interviews, it appears they reached their decision on Sunday night. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen will take over as the defensive coordinator, a job he’s found considerable success at with other organizations. The bigger surprise was at offensive coordinator, which is going to former Denver Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle.

Both coaches have direct ties to longtime head coach Sean Payton, who was a big part of Dan Campbell’s ascent to head coaching himself in Detroit. Johnson no doubt got those recommendations from him. Allen is a tremendous hire. He took over a defense that was the worst in the NFL in 2015 and transformed it into a top-10 unit by 2017. They would stay there for multiple seasons. Doyle is more of a mystery. He is only 28 years old and didn’t start coaching in the NFL until six years ago when he joined the Saints as an offensive assistant. The fact Payton brought him to Denver is a surefire sign he has a high opinion of the young man.

The Chicago Bears may not be done digging into former Saints.

There are already rumblings they’ve tagged veteran offensive line coach Dan Roushar for the job. He was with that organization for eight seasons, during which he developed multiple future Pro Bowlers. Allen is also connected to defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen, most recently the defensive coordinator in Jacksonville but now likely a free agent. Both men are considered two of the best at their respective jobs. There are two notable positions left on offense to fill: running backs and tight ends.

Doyle’s role with be focused on organization, game planning, and crafting plays. Johnson will call plays. It is possible he liked Doyle because tight end coaches have a knack for gaining knowledge about both the run and pass games. The fact he’s so young also means he’s hungry to ascend. Such motivation usually leads to productive output. Johnson would know. He was in the same position with Detroit at one point. If nothing else, this means the Bears will have much-needed stability on their staff. Neither Doyle nor Allen are likely to get poached for head coaching jobs anytime soon.

Ryan Poles kept Ian Cunningham away from the head coach interview process because he wanted to give his right-hand man a chance to focus on upcoming GM interviews. It looked like the Chicago Bears assistant GM was on the cusp of landing the Tennessee Titans job before it went to Mike Borgonzi from Kansas City. With no sense that the Jets job was in play, it looked like Cunningham would be returning for another. Then everything changed after the Jacksonville Jaguars fired Trent Baalke. Suddenly buzz began to pick up that there was mutual interest between Cunningham and the organization, who’d just hired head coach Liam Coen.

None of it had come from more official sources, though. Not until now. Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports spoke before the Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills AFC championship game. He confirmed that Cunningham to Jacksonville indeed has serious legs. Nothing is official yet, but it sure sounds like the Bears executive is the leader in the clubhouse for that job.

An Ian Cunningham exit will lead to some interesting consequences.

First and foremost, his leaving for Jacksonville would secure them two compensatory 3rd round picks—one in 2025 and the other in 2026. That would push Chicago’s inventory for this upcoming draft to nine picks, including five in the first three rounds. No doubt Poles could infuse his roster with another surge of young talent. The other piece of business would be finding Cunningham’s replacement as assistant GM. The smart money will be on co-director of player personnel Jeff King getting promoted. He’s been rising in the front office since Poles’ arrival and clearly has the trust of the Bears GM.

Could the Bears bring in an outside face who may have connections to new head coach Ben Johnson? Perhaps, but it feels like this would be an internal promotion. Poles came from an organization that liked to develop its scouting department internally. He’s no doubt hoping to do the same in Chicago. It would be unfortunate to lose Ian Cunningham. He’s been a great sounding board and calming presence for Poles. Still, this is an opportunity he has awaited for years. It feels like his time.

Ben Johnson isn’t your normal offensive wizard. Most people expect a mad scientist who wants to throw the ball constantly, lighting up the scoreboard with his quarterback. Johnson is not that guy. Yes, he enjoys crafting a good passing attack, but one constant that stood out with his offenses in Detroit was how well they ran the ball. In three years, the Lions ranked 11th, 5th, and 6th in rushing. This came from a great combination of excellent offensive line play and two tremendous running backs in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

It’s safe to say the Bears have a lot of work to do before they reach that level themselves. The offensive line needs a ton of work in the coming months. One could argue they need four new starters, but more likely three. A tougher question is what to do at running back. D’Andre Swift isn’t going anywhere. He is still a valuable weapon, but is Roschon Johnson enough to complement him? Former Pro Bowler Maurice Jones-Drew doesn’t think so. He sees the Bears going after some help in free agency.

There is even a name he has in mind.

“Williams never lived up to his full potential in Denver. He had his best campaign as a rookie in 2021 (903 rush yards on 203 carries) but was unable to build on that over the next three seasons due, in part, to a knee injury suffered in 2022. He could use a fresh start after averaging fewer than 4 yards per carry under Sean Payton over the past two years — and Ben Johnson’s offense in Chicago feels like a great fit. The newly hired head coach will presumably be looking for a new version of Sonic and Knuckles (a.k.a. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the backfield duo who helped Johnson field a top-six rushing attack in Detroit in each of the past two seasons). Williams could recreate that chemistry with D’Andre Swift, whom Johnson also worked with in Detroit.”

The Chicago Bears would be taking a calculated risk.

Javonte Williams was a 2nd round pick in 2021 for the Broncos after a stellar junior season at North Carolina. He flashed that same potential as a rookie but was undone by a knee injury just four games into his next season. Once Sean Payton arrived in 2023, it seemed like he never quite found his groove again. He was highly touted in college, drawing comparisons to former Pro Bowler Kareem Hunt. While he was known for a powerful build that made him dangerous in short yardage, it was his violence as a runner that made him someone other teams hated facing. That type of player is what the Chicago Bears need paired with Swift. The problem is he may not be that player anymore. He hasn’t been the same since the knee injury.

If nothing else, this means he would likely be cheap to get. Swift was already expensive. There is no way Ryan Poles would sink more big money into that position. If Williams can recapture some of that old juice, he would be a welcome addition.

Ben Johnson is busy piecing together his new coaching staff. He must work quickly as Senior Bowl week is right around the corner, and the Chicago Bears will want everybody to attend. So far, they’ve added some intriguing names like Al Harris, Antwaan Randle El, and J.T. Barrett. However, the real intrigue for most is what Johnson plans to do at the coordinator positions. Based on the latest information available, it looks like there are two favorites for the jobs. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is expected to become the new defensive coordinator, while former Stanford head coach David Shaw is gaining momentum for the offensive coordinator spot.

There is a lot of logic behind these choices, assuming they prove true. Both have been head coaches before. They understand the pitfalls of the job and can provide much-needed experience for a first-time coach like Johnson to lean on. However, there is another layer that people should realize. Shaw and Allen should also prove huge assets in the upcoming off-season due to their track records for evaluating talent at specific positions.

Namely the offensive and defensive lines.

The Chicago Bears could be well-equipped for what is coming.

Shaw was the head coach at Stanford from 2011 through 2024. During that time, he sent multiple future starters on the offensive line to the NFL, including eventual Pro Bowlers like David DeCastro and Andrus Peat. Cameron Fleming, Walker Little, and Drew Dalman were others. Given how weak the Bears’ offensive line has been in recent years, they need all the help they can get to fix it. Shaw is experienced enough and has enough college contacts to get pointed towards the players they need.

Allen might be even more impressive. He’s been a defensive coordinator or head coach since 2011. Here is a list of defensive linemen drafted when he held either of those spots:

• Von Miller
• Khalil Mack
• Shelby Harris
• Sheldon Rankins
• Trey Hendrickson
• Marcus Davenport
• Bryan Bresee

This shouldn’t be a surprise. Allen has been a defensive line coach at previous points in his career. Still, it’s obvious he has a sharp eye for good players. The Chicago Bears need that in what is a crucial off-season. GM Ryan Poles said he constantly collaborates with the coaches to find the right guys. If Allen and Shaw become the coordinators of choice, it will be a boon for the franchise.

People tried to find reasons why Caleb Williams didn’t have the rookie season he probably should’ve when compared to guys like Jayden Daniels or Bo Nix. There were plenty of viable ones, such as an undermanned offensive line. However, the persistent issue raised by multiple teammates over the previous months was remarkable passivity from the coaching staff. Former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and even head coach Matt Eberflus weren’t holding guys accountable in practice enough, including Williams.

After the regular season finale in Green Bay, the quarterback was asked what he hoped for in the next head coach. His answer was similar to those of his teammates.

“I would say just challenge me,” Williams said. “Whether it’s pulling me aside and saying whatever — having talks consistently. Maybe having a list of things, we want to accomplish, myself first — that helps the team. From there help find ways to set goals. However it might work out, just challenge. Find ways to help better myself and better the team.”

A couple of weeks later, after an extensive search involving 17 candidates, the Bears hired Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. It was indisputable that the 38-year-old had outstanding success for three straight years, but some wondered if he had the personality to get the most out of his quarterback. These comments from Jared Goff last September about Johnson said it all.

“He’s not afraid to coach me and coach me hard and that’s what I crave,” Goff said. “I love being coached hard and I love getting feedback. He wants me to be great as much as I want to be great and it’s fun to play for a guy like that.”

Caleb Williams shouldn’t expect the coddling treatment anymore.

This is a signal from GM Ryan Poles and the front office that they took what the players said to heart. He even went so far as to say Williams tended to skip some steps in his game preparations, which often led to his consistency issues. That again goes back to coaching. It isn’t a coincidence guys like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes have had such glittering success. Both were groomed by knowledgeable and demanding head coaches, Bill Belichick and Andy Reid. Yes, players should be expected to have strong work ethics, but they’re still human, prone to cutting corners whenever possible.

Coaches are responsible for not letting the little things slide. You can’t do that and expect to win in this league. It sounds like Johnson is a perfectionist, keen on getting every detail right. It reflects in how Goff has played for three years, putting together the most efficient sequence of his career. If Caleb Williams is willing to put in the work and accept the coaching, he will evolve as a quarterback in ways people have dreamed of for years.

The Chicago Bears have long had a reputation for operating like a mom-and-pop shop. Despite being a billion-dollar organization with all the resources it could ever need, they have operated as if it’s still the 1960s when spending money was always done carefully. Things have changed so much since then. Top organizations carry themselves like professional corporations. Everything is first-class all the time. The Bears haven’t done that. NFL agent Rick Smith knew this from having worked with them, along with every other team, since getting into the business. However, the past month has shown him things have changed drastically inside Halas Hall, which is almost entirely thanks to team president Kevin Warren.

George McCaskey isn’t known for any level of competence or genius as Bears chairman. However, he does at least seem to have self-awareness. Once Ted Phillips announced his retirement, McCaskey knew he had to find somebody with experience working with top NFL organizations. That is how he landed on Warren, who’d found great success with the Rams and Vikings. Smith admitted that the Bears’ operations have drastically improved their resource allocation and organization. It was a vital change that helped lure Smith’s client, Ben Johnson, to Chicago.

Kevin Warren gets plenty of heat, but his impact is already noticeable.

Yes, he seems to carry himself like a professional politician, always speaking in grand statements. Fans struggle to take him seriously. However, he has completely altered the mentality of how this team operates. They’ve gone from pinching pennies wherever possible to adopting the belief that you have to spend money to make money. Kevin Warren said shortly after the Johnson hire that he would not spare any resource available in this organization’s pursuit of a championship. That is why they’ve been flying clients in via private jets, wining and dining them at fancy restaurants, and just handed Johnson the largest contract for a first-time head coach in history.

There is no way Phillips or his predecessors would’ve ever done such things. If you want to be great, don’t be afraid to take big swings. That is the mentality Warren has brought to Chicago. He may not be perfect, but the new president finally brought the Bears into the 21st century.

The Chicago Bears met with 17 candidates for their head coaching position over the course of two weeks. GM Ryan Poles and team president Kevin Warren wanted to make sure they collected as much information as possible, getting a sense of their options while also seeing how others view the organization. However, Poles made it clear from the outset that his sights were set on one man: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. He knew this around Christmas time in December.

That was largely thanks to a ludicrous amount of research the Bears GM had done. Johnson’s agent, Rick Smith, revealed as much during a conversation with Bill Zimmerman on the Bears Banter podcast. It became clear right away once Johnson spoke with the team that Poles had done his homework. Smith claims he dug far into the coach’s background, from his playing days at North Carolina to his graduate assistant roots at Boston College.

Ryan Poles approached Johnson as if he were drafting a quarterback.

Everybody knows when you plan to take one, an enormous amount of research is put into it because of how vital that position is to get right. Ryan Poles was relentless in his evaluation of Caleb Williams for months once it became clear the Bears were getting the #1 pick. It appears after the slacking approach to how Matt Eberflus was hired three years ago; there were no plans to make the same mistake this time. Poles needed every detail he could scrounge before making the best-informed decision he could. Once the two seemed to click in their interview, everything came together. It was easily the most celebrated hiring by Bears fans in many years. If it works out as hoped, Poles will go down as one of the great folk heroes in Chicago sports history.