The Chicago Bears are getting closer to what’s likely going to be an exciting year for the team, because they’ve undergone a lot of changes during the offseason. The main change, of course, is that the Bears have a new head coach in Ben Johnson, who hails from the Detroit Lions. Johnson is considered one of the best offensive-minds in the league, so he’ll bring plenty of big changes to the team.
Johnson is already working with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who the team drafted with their No. 1 overall pick during the 2024 NFL draft. Williams didn’t have as great a rookie season as expected, but now that he’s under Johnson, many in league think that he’ll flourish. Johnson worked wonders for the entire Detroit Lions offense, so there’s no reason why he can’t do the same in the Windy City.
Many in the NFL are so confident about Johnson that they think he’ll walk away from the 2025-26 season being considered one of the best head coaches in the league. He may even accomplish something Dan Campbell in Detroit hasn’t done in his years with the team.
Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson Could Get a Big Honor
The odds are in Johnson’s favor, literally. In a piece published on Monday, July 21, by Odds Checker, Johnson is named the No. 1 favorite to be crowned NFL Coach of the Year. That’s an honor Campbell has yet to receive. Wouldn’t it be wild to see Johnson get that honor before Campbell?
Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings picked up the award last year, and Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns snagged it the previous year. As Odds Checker notes, “Both of those guys saw great success and overcame what was projected to be horrendous seasons to make the playoffs. That has been the formula as of late, but this year has a strong opportunity for a rookie coach to take it.”
Right now, in their ranking, Johnson is No. 1, followed by Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots and Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, it’s really early to project such a thing, but it’s interesting to see Johnson as the favorite. If Johnson can really turn this franchise around in just one year, there’s no reason why he would be passed up for this honor.
A Positive Note for the Chicago Bears
One thing going for Johnson is that he has a strong secondary heading into the new season. In a feature that ran on July 8, John Kosko laid out the best secondaries in the NFL. He had the Bears at No. 7.
“The Bears boast a mix of seasoned veterans and young stars in what has become a very solid secondary,” Kosko notes. “Cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been one of the NFL’s best over the past two seasons, while safety Kevin Byard—though past his prime—continues to play at a high level.”
So, the wind is on the back of the Bears in the Windy City, and that’s only good news for Johnson. Let the countdown to the season begin.
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