Ben Johnson was the most coveted coordinator this hiring cycle, and general manager Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears were able to do something that teams across the league had been unable to the past two offseasons; lure him away from Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions.
It’s easy to see why Poles and the Bears had sights set on Johnson, who reportedly has had an interest in Chicago dating back as far as the 2023 hiring cycle, especially given Detroit’s success on offense over the past three seasons.
What drew Ryan Poles and the Bears to Ben Johnson
This offseason, after moving on from Matt Eberflus on Black Friday following a disastrous final minute in a loss in Detroit to Johnson and the Lions, Poles was determined to land the innovative offensive coordinator who has been the apple of the league’s eye in recent years.
“Throughout the entire process,” Poles told reporters during Johnson’s introductory press conference as Bears head coach. “We came away impressed with his passion, his leadership, his football IQ, and his vision for winning football.”
Under Johnson, the Lions finished as the NFL’s No. 2 rated offense, averaging 409.5 yards per game and scoring a league-high 33.2 points per game.
It might take some time for the Bears to experience that kind of turnaround, but, given the pieces in place on offense and the upside Caleb Williams offers as the former No. 1 overall pick, there is a lot to build on and it’s difficult to imagine another coach offering as much reason to be optimistic about the future as Johnson does upon arrival.
“I don’t think many people understand how set up for success this place is,” Johnson told reporters.
Clearly, Poles views Johnson as an instrumental part of that success.
Chicago Bears veteran was noticeably absent at Ben Johnson’s press conference
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