The Chicago Bears were 5-12 last year, lost ten in a row at one point, allowed 68 sacks on quarterback Caleb Williams, and were beset by a litany of controversies. Two assistant coaches were fired for conduct detrimental to the team. Their first offensive coordinator was fired for incompetence, while the second was promoted after head coach Matt Eberflus was fired. So you can understand why nobody expected much from the Bears in 2025. Ben Johnson might’ve been the brightest offensive mind in the NFL when they hired him as their new head coach, but he was still untested. It would probably take him some time to find his footing.
Eleven months later, the Bears have 11 wins and made the playoffs for the first time in half a decade. They’re on the cusp of only their second division title in 15 years and boast the #5 offense in the NFL. All of that is because of Johnson. His ability to elevate a roster he mostly didn’t help build in such a short time can’t be understated. However, it appears the rest of the NFL isn’t as impressed. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network conducted a poll around the league to determine who they think will be the Coach of the Year this season.
The choice wasn’t difficult, apparently.
Despite a strong list of candidates, Vrabel (13 votes) more than doubled the vote total of the second-place finisher, Bears coach Ben Johnson (six).
It has been an instant turnaround in New England, where the Patriots are 12-3, playoff-bound and in the mix for the AFC’s No. 1 seed after winning eight games over the previous two years combined. No surprise, considering Vrabel, the 2021 AP Coach of the Year, engineered a similarly speedy turnaround in his first head coaching job in Tennessee. The offense and defense that ranked 30th and 22nd in points per game last season, respectively, now are seventh in each category. Drake Maye is playing like an MVP candidate. Vrabel has flipped the Patriots’ culture basically overnight and is fully in command on game days.
Mike Vrabel being that far ahead of Ben Johnson is a crime.
Mind you, the New England Patriots head coach deserves the honor. He’s done tremendous work with that team as well. Yet to say he’s been twice as good as Johnson is ridiculous. For one, he’s benefitted from the NFL’s easiest schedule this season. Of the 14 opponents they’ve played this season, only two are expected to make the playoffs this year. They lost to Pittsburgh, beat Buffalo, and then lost to Buffalo in the rematch. Meanwhile, the Bears have played three projected playoff teams. They beat Pittsburgh, beat Philadelphia, lost to Green Bay, and beat Green Bay in the rematch.
Ben Johnson has delivered the 5th-best offense in the NFL, above the Patriots at 6th. He’s also done all of this despite his roster losing the most games to injuries in the league. The Patriots have the third-fewest. This is not to disparage Vrabel. He deserves recognition. Yet to say he’s been twice as good as Johnson is ridiculous. In a fair assessment, they’re dead even. Sadly, people in the league don’t see it that way.
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