People have been trying to figure out who Ben Johnson reminds them of from a head coaching perspective. Some interesting comparisons have been thrown around in the past year. Many have used the obvious ones like Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, the two best head coach-offensive play-callers in the NFL today. Another is Dan Campbell, his mentor from Detroit. Johnson seems to have adopted his gritty persona and desire to build a physical, violent football team. However, the Bears’ head coach has added an extra layer.
Antagonism.
Johnson hasn’t been shy about taking potshots at other teams in the media. He intentionally targeted Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur before last season. He’ll celebrate shirtless in the locker room and appears totally unapologetic about it. His goal isn’t to be buddy-buddy with other coaches in the league. It’s to win football games. The NFL hasn’t seen this type of personality on the sidelines in some time. Sports Mockery’s Jeff Hughes finally figured out who Johnson reminds him of.
Buddy Ryan
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Ben Johnson does exhibit some Buddy tendencies.
Older Bears fans have fond memories of Ryan. He was the defensive coordinator for the team from 1978 through 1985. In that time, he produced six top 10 scoring defenses and two #1 defenses. That included the one with the most sacks in a season ever (1984) and what many feel is the best defense in history in 1985. His unit remains the only one to ever pitch back-to-back shutouts in the playoffs and was the catalyst for the team’s only Super Bowl championship. Ryan is a folk hero in Chicago.
His departure, while expected, felt like the end of an era for the Bears. They never quite reached their peak dominance again after he left. The Philadelphia Eagles lured him away to become their new head coach. There he enjoyed solid success, producing three winning seasons in five years and making the playoffs three times. As Hughes pointed out, he just never managed to get over the hump to win the Super Bowl. That entire run was characterized by Ryan’s aggressive, violent defenses and unabashed trash talk in the media against other teams. So yeah, Johnson does share much in common with him.
| Year | Team | Regular Season W-L-T | Finish / Postseason Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Philadelphia Eagles | 5–10–1 | 4th in NFC East |
| 1987 | Philadelphia Eagles | 7–8–0 | 4th in NFC East |
| 1988 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10–6–0 | 1st in NFC East (Lost in Divisional Round) |
| 1989 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11–5–0 | 2nd in NFC East (Lost in Wild Card Round) |
| 1990 | Philadelphia Eagles | 10–6–0 | 2nd in NFC East (Lost in Wild Card Round) |
| 1994 | Arizona Cardinals | 8–8–0 | 3rd in NFC East |
| 1995 | Arizona Cardinals | 4–12–0 | 5th in NFC East |
| Total | 2 Teams | 55–55–1 | Regular Season (0–3 Postseason) |
Ryan’s legacy is a complicated one.
People will be quick to criticize the comparison because of his failures in Philadelphia. Few don’t recognize the brutal timing Ryan had. He arrived in Philadelphia right when the NFC East division was becoming the most loaded of any in NFL history. It would go on to win the Super Bowl in six of the next eight seasons. New York won in 1986, Washington in 1987, New York again in 1990, Washington again in 1991, and then the Dallas dynasty began in 1992 and 1993. All three teams had Hall of Fame head coaches.
The situation is different for Ben Johnson. While he, too, is in a crowded division, it isn’t nearly as daunting as that NFC Beast 40 years ago. No one will believe that LaFleur, Campbell, and Kevin O’Connell are destined for the Hall of Fame, either. Johnson is also already a step ahead of Ryan, having won a playoff game last season. Maybe we’re seeing the makings of what Ryan would’ve been had the odds not been so stacked against him. It’s rather fitting that his figurative descendant ended up in Chicago.
