Ben Johnson chose the Chicago Bears as his new home. It was a colossal shock to many, considering he had the freedom to go where he wanted. In the end, he went to a division rival because they could offer him something other destinations couldn’t: a young quarterback to mold. Caleb Williams is somebody Johnson has monitored for a long time. So when the opportunity finally came to coach him, the coach didn’t hesitate. The two sides came together quickly, agreeing to a deal that is reportedly worth $13+ million per year.
Next on the agenda is building the best possible staff. Already, news broke that former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is likely to take over as defensive coordinator. That isn’t an accident. According to Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog, it is by design. Johnson is targeting a specific type of coach for his staff.
Expect this staff to come together quickly. I’m told Johnson had specific names during the Zoom call last week, and one of those names is Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator. But Johnson has said he wants as many former head coaches as possible in the building.
Ben Johnson seems to have good self-awareness.
He understands how inexperienced he is going into this job. He’s only 38 years old and has never been a head coach before. The smart thing to do in this situation would be to surround himself with as much experience as possible. Allen has been a head coach twice and understands the challenges of the job ahead. He should make a great sounding board. The same will be true for others he brings aboard. This tactic is something Sean McVay used when he arrived in Los Angeles. He hired Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator, who’d been a head coach for three different teams by that point. The same was true of special teams coach John Fassel.
It worked out. L.A. made the playoffs immediately that first year and went to the Super Bowl the next. Ben Johnson is utilizing a strategy that works, both because of the experience it adds and the stability it should create. It will be fascinating to see who else he adds.
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