By The Chicago Bears announced Tuesday that the team had reached an agreement with former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator to become head coach in the Windy City.
The announcement was widely expected after news of the impending hire leaked in multiple media reports Monday after the Lions’ early playoff exit following a surprising loss to the Washington Commanders over the weekend.
This will be the 38-year-old’s first NFL head coaching job after spending the last three seasons running Detroit’s high-scoring offense.
Johnson greeted Bears fans with a video message on the team’s X acccount.
“Beyond fired up to be here! This is exciting times. Cannot wait to get to work,” the newly minted head coach said.
“Bear down, baby!”
The Bears fired previous head coach Matt Eberflus in November following the team’s disastrous Thanksgiving day loss to Johnson’s Lions.
With his hire, Johnson becomes the second-youngest current head coach in the NFL, second only to the Seattle Seahawks’ 37-year-old Mike Macdonald.
Detroit’s offensive guru had been a sought-after head coaching candidate with his key role in the Lions’ remarkable turnaround.
Before Johnson took over the Lions’ offense in 2022, Detroit was one of the worst teams in the NFL; the team was 3-13-1 in 2021.
In Johnson’s first year as offensive coordinator in the Motor City in 2022, the Lions improved to 9-8. The team followed that with a 12-5 record in 2023 and a 15-2 record in 2024 – tied for the most wins in the league this season.
Under Johnson’s tenure, the Detroit offense has become one of the most dynamic in the NFL, scoring a league-best 564 points in 2024.
In Chicago, Johnson will join forces with talented young quarterback Caleb Williams – the top overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
“A proven leader with winning pedigree and a mind toward innovation, we are excited to welcome Ben and his family to Chicago as our head coach,” said Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
“Throughout our search process, I was thoroughly impressed by Ben’s character, intelligence, leadership and ability to connect,” Poles continued. “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.”
Johnson will be unveiled at a press conference in Chicago on Wednesday.
After the Bears’ hire, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders are the remaining five teams seeking a head coach.
