The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as a head coach because of his offensive expertise. During his introductory press conference, Johnson confirmed he would be calling plays.
However, he also knows his role as head coach will diminish some of his previous responsibilities which made him an attractive candidate, such as early-week game planning and working with Caleb Williams. Johnson said he needed to hire an offensive coordinator he trusts to delegate those tasks to.
The offensive coordinator Johnson chooses will be Williams’ fourth in the league before the quarterback’s second stint of OTAs.
Ben Johnson interviewed Bo Hardegree
© David Banks-Imagn Images
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Bears interviewed Tennessee Titans quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree for the OC job.
“The Bears have interviewed Titans QB coach Bo Hardegree for OC, source said,” Rapoport posted on X. “He was on the staff with Ben Johnson with the Dolphins. Hardegree has experience with developing QBs. With the #Raiders, he took over play-calling in 2023 and had a winning record with a rookie QB.”
The #Bears have interviewed #Titans QB coach Bo Hardegree for OC, source said. He was on the staff with Ben Johnson with the #Dolphins.
Hardegree has experience with developing QBs. With the #Raiders, he took over play-calling in 2023 and had a winning record with a rookie QB. pic.twitter.com/GeVgz8wBWD
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2025
Hardegree has experience developing quarterbacks. But it’s not a good experience, and it’s a stretch to use the word “developing.”
An Adam Gase disciple
Hardegree was the quarterbacks coach under Adam Gase with the Miami Dolphins from 2016-2018. (He was an offensive assistant with the Bears in 2015.)
Hardegree worked with Ryan Tannehill and Jay Cutler. Both quarterbacks did better elsewhere, and Tannehill became the NFL’s Comeback Player of The Year the season after he stopped working Hardegree (2019).
Related: Bears sign offensive lineman to futures/reserve contract
Hardegree was an offensive assistant with the New England Patriots in 2021 (Mac Jones). He worked with the Raiders quarterbacks in 2022, the same year Derek Carr performed so badly that they let him walk to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. Things weren’t much better in 2023 when he was in charge of Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O’Connell.
Keep Hardegree away from Caleb Williams
In 2024, Hardegree accepted the quarterbacks coaching job with the Tennessee Titans. Will Levis’ development went so poorly that he was benched for Mason Rudolph. The Titans season went so poorly that Bill Callahan met with quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders this week about being taken with the No. 1 pick Tennessee holds after a 3-14 season.
Keep Hardegree away from Williams.
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Ben Johnson details his plan for Caleb Williams development
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