Bears make official announcement of Ben Johnson as head coach
The Chicago Bears revealed the appointment of Ben Johnson as their new head coach on Tuesday.
Johnson, who is 38 years old, agreed to take on the role with Chicago after spending three seasons as the offensive coordinator for NFC North rival, the Detroit Lions. He initially joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach before being promoted to tight ends coach and then passing game coordinator.
\"A proven leader with a winning background and a focus on innovation, we are thrilled to welcome Ben and his family to Chicago as our head coach,\" stated Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
\"Throughout our search process, I was thoroughly impressed by Ben's character, intelligence, leadership, and ability to connect. A progressive offensive mind, Ben's plan for all three phases of our team, which is centered on creating a winning and competitive environment, became evidently clear. After meeting with Ben and gaining an understanding of his process and vision, we became more confident that he is the right leader for our team and that we will make a great team in building our team and shaping our franchise for long-term success.
\"It is undeniable how passionate Ben is about serving as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, and we are ready, equipped, and excited to welcome him and his family to Chicago and start our journey of building a championship-caliber team together. This is just the beginning.\"
Johnson will take the reins of a Bears team that struggled to a last-place finish in the NFC North this season. After a promising start, Chicago lost 10 consecutive games, including a 23-20 defeat to Detroit on Thanksgiving Day, which led to the dismissal of head coach Matt Eberflus on November 29.
\"The Chicago Bears are a top-class franchise with an incredible history and a fantastic fan base,\" said Johnson. \"I am grateful to George (McCaskey, team chairman), Kevin (Warren, president and CEO), Ryan, and the entire organization for giving me and my family this amazing opportunity. Having been on the opposing side, I can attest to the passion of Bears fans for this city and their team, and I am honored to be their head coach.\"
In each of Johnson's three seasons as offensive coordinator, the Lions finished in the top five in the NFL in total yards and points per game.
Under Johnson's leadership, Detroit had the league's highest-scoring offense this season (33.2 points per game) and ranked second in average total yards (409.5). The Lions set franchise records for points (564) and regular-season wins (15) this season.
Johnson's goal will be to improve a Bears offense that had the fewest yards (284.6) and tied for the fourth-fewest points per game (18.2) with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the top overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
