Mike Vrabel came off the board faster than any other head coaching candidate. It was an easy prediction. The former New England Patriots linebacker won three Super Bowls with that organization. They have a quarterback needing development and promised personnel control. It was a no-brainer. That leaves one more big domino left to fall: Ben Johnson. Most believe the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is the hottest name on the circuit and multiple teams are working hard to convince him he should consider their job.
The Chicago Bears are among those teams. It has been reported that GM Ryan Poles is infatuated with Johnson, having researched him heavily since the middle of 2023. What isn’t known is where the coach himself stands. Ben Zimmerman of Windy City Gridiron provided an update on what he’s been hearing on that front.
But the belle of the ball is Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. Going back weeks, it’s been reported that Ben Johnson and the Bears have a mutual interest and that Johnson is intrigued by the idea of coaching Caleb Williams.
Is Johnson’s preference to go to Chicago? Or perhaps Las Vegas or Jacksonville is higher on his list? Nobody around the league seems to have a strong idea from Johnson’s camp which way he’s leaning, and he seems to be pretty tight-lipped on the subject, but if you listen to the media, it’s clear the Las Vegas Raiders are doing a full-court press to get Johnson to Nevada.
Johnson seems intent on keeping things quiet.
That isn’t a huge surprise. He’s in the middle of a Super Bowl push with the Detroit Lions, and the last thing they need is unnecessary distractions. Hopefully, there will be enough time to answer the head coach questions in a few weeks. However, Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog added a wrinkle to this situation via the Irish Bears Show. Johnson loves Caleb Williams and has no issues working with Poles. The big hangup is the uncertainty of where team president Kevin Warren fits in all this.
Ben Johnson being wary of Warren makes sense.
The man was hired in May 2023. He has a reputation for being active in every facet of the franchise operations, including football. However, after his public feud with Big Ten head coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, people are skeptical of him. If he’s going to stick his nose into things at every opportunity, it isn’t something Johnson wants to deal with. This is where an update from Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports feels important. George McCaskey seems intent on clarifying where things stand inside Halas Hall.
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“George wants Ryan to run this,” said a source. “Kevin will get what he needs to keep him involved but it’s Ryan’s decision, and Ryan’s running point. Philosophically George’s view is football stays football. Even though the reporting structure is Ryan going to Kevin, George wants football people making football decisions.”
There shouldn’t be an issue if McCaskey relays this view to Ben Johnson. Brad Biggs said coaches are given private time with the owner and Warren away from others. No doubt, this is a way to give them a chance to ask important questions about the structure of the organization. If things are kept clear, it sounds like Johnson is comfortable joining the organization. Could he change his mind? Of course. That is how things go in such a fluid process. Either way, fans must wait it out.
