Ben Johnson introduced as Bears HC, says Caleb Williams ‘played a large component’ into decision
For Ben Johnson, 2025 was the time to make the leap from coordinator to head coach.
He found what he believes to be the ideal situation in Chicago, accepting the Bears’ top job earlier this week and with it, the expectation he’ll turn around a team in need of leadership.
The former Lions offensive coordinator will have to change residences, moving from Detroit to Chicago, but he won’t need to leave the NFC North. The familiarity of the division helped entice him to the Windy City, Johnson admitted during his introductory press conference on Wednesday.
“I wanted to stay in this division. I know this is the toughest division in football right now,” Johnson explained. “There’s three teams that made the playoffs this year. I’ve got tremendous amounts of respect for the coaches and players in this league having competed against them for the last six years. (Lions coach) Dan Campbell, (Vikings coach) Kevin O’Connell. Talk about two guys who are up for Coach of the Year awards as the season ends here.
“And to be quite frank with ya, I kind of enjoyed beating (Packers coach) Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
Johnson knows Chicago well and tipped his cap to the work accomplished by the previous staff, acknowledging former coach Matt Eberflus made Johnson’s job difficult in their recent meetings with the Bears. He also seems to have an affinity for the city, pointing to an annual trip he and his family have made to Wrigley Field to catch a Chicago Cub series before capping that note with an excited tone: “I know we’re going to have so much fun living here.”
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