The Chicago Bears landed their crown jewel of the 2025 hiring cycle, hiring former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be their next head coach. Alongside him, Johnson brought in an entirely revamped coaching staff.
Among the new hires was offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Only 28-years-old, Doyle is the youngest offensive coordinator in all of the NFL. However, Johnson isn’t letting that alter his view of the new OC. In fact, when he called John Morton – the Denver Broncos pass-game coordinator during Doyle’s tenure with the team, Morton emphasized the similarities between the two.
During his Tuesday press conference, Johnson ended his session by giving Doyle his full endorsement. He may not be known for the NFL now, but Johnson believes that’ll soon change
“He and I are a match made in heaven. He thinks very much like me. It has been awesome getting him into the building the last few weeks. Extremely detailed, extremely organized,” Johnson said. “The age does not matter. He is going to be respected by not only the players but also his fellow coaches as well.”
“I can already see that coming into place,” Johnson continued. “He’s very well informed. If you can help make the people around better, they’ll find the value in you. That’s what Declan is bringing to the table right now.”
What Declan Doyle offers Chicago Bears
Doyle will be stepping into the first offensive coordinator role of his young career. However, he has been a coach at the NFL level since 2019. He has been a long-time disciple of Sean Payton, serving as an offensive assistant from 2019-2022.
When Payton joined the Broncos, Doyle soon followed. He was hired as the team’s tight end coach in 2023 and served in that role through last season. While he may not have been as hands on with play calling, Doyle got a well-versed view into what an NFL offense looks like under Payton.
Coming to Chicago, he’ll serve a similar role with Johnson. The head coach will call his own plays after his dominant run with the Lions. But Doyle will be a trusted member in building the team’s gameplan. Rather than just tight ends, Doyle will have a hand in crafting every play the Bears run.
It’s a strong sign of confidence for Johnson to give Doyle so much responsibility. But the Chicago Bears head coach isn’t waffling in his decision and knows Doyle is the right man for the job.
What Doyle must fix with Bears
Being a tight end specialist, Doyle will have extremely knowledge on how to fix the position. Gerald Everett is no longer with the team, although Cole Kmet remains as the top option. Still, coming off of a 474 yard, four touchdown performance, Doyle will look to extract a bit more out of him.
He’ll need to get a lot more out of the offensive line’s play. With Caleb Williams being sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie, it’ll be one of Doyle’s strongest points of emphasis. Johnson, nor Doyle’s vision will succeed without a stout line of blockers in front of Williams.
Once that is in place, the Bears can address their skill positions. Alongside tight end, Chicago will look into adding running back and wide receiver help in 2025. Keenan Allen is a free agent and no guarantee to return. And while the Bears have D’Andre Swift, Johnson may need another explosive back to have his offense running at top speed.
Fixing the Chicago Bears offense won’t be quick or easy. Especially for a 28-year-old OC who will be highly scrutinized due to his age. But Ben Johnson throws care to the wind. He believes in Declan Doyle and knows the Bears are only stronger with him on their sideline.
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