The Chicago Bears have announced the hiring of Ben Johnson as their head coach. Johnson, 38, spent three seasons as Detroit’s offensive coordinator; he had been with the Lions since 2019, starting out as an offensive quality control coach before moving up to tight ends coach, and later passing game coordinator. Johnson led Detroit to top-five finishes in yards and points in all three seasons as OC.
Bears owner George H. McCaskey said in a statement released by the team: “We are elated to welcome Ben and his family to the Bears and the greatest city in the world. Ben’s leadership, poise, preparation, and detail are evident. We certainly appreciate the first-class manner in which he approached this process. We are excited to see him lead our Bears.”
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “Johnson has been busy assembling a star-studded coaching staff. The leading candidate to become his defensive coordinator in Chicago is former Saints HC Dennis Allen, per league sources.” Johnson said in a statement: “The Chicago Bears are a world-class franchise with a phenomenal history and incredible fanbase. I am thankful to George, Kevin [Warren], Ryan, and the entire organization for presenting me and my family with this tremendous opportunity. Having been on the opposing sideline, I can attest to how passionate Bears fans are about this city and their team, and I am honored to be their head coach. My family and I are incredibly blessed and fortunate to take this next step in our journey, and I cannot wait to lead our players, our support staff and organization, while doing so at the service of Bears fans. We are looking forward to fully ingraining ourselves in the great city of Chicago, as we work to create an impact in this special community. I am excited to partner with Ryan and the entire organization as we work to create a championship-caliber program. We are ready to get to work.”
General Manager Ryan Poles added: “A proven leader with winning pedigree and a mind toward innovation, we are excited to welcome Ben and his family to Chicago as our head coach. Throughout our search process, I was thoroughly impressed by Ben’s character, intelligence, leadership and ability to connect. A progressive offensive mind, Ben’s plan for all three phases of our team, which is centered on creating a winning and competitive environment, became evidently clear. Meeting with Ben and gaining an understanding of his process and vision, the more confident we became that Ben is the right leader for our team and that he and I will be great partners in building our team and shaping our franchise for long-term success. It is undeniable how passionate Ben is for serving in the role of head coach of the Chicago Bears, and we are primed, equipped and excited to welcome him and his family to Chicago and to commence our process of building a championship-caliber team, together. This is just the beginning.”
Bears’ President and CEO Kevin Warren shared: “I am grateful for the process that Ryan led, orchestrated and executed, and I am honored to welcome Ben, as well as his wife, Jessica, and their children, Emory, Kennedy and Halle, to our Chicago Bears family. It was a pleasure to get to know Ben and gain a true understanding, and sheer appreciation, for his passion, integrity and innovation. Ben is meticulous about the details, doing what is right for the betterment of the greater being, and motivated to push the limits of whatever is required to become a champion. His journey is honorable – Ben has not skipped a single step, and his new responsibility as head coach of the Chicago Bears is earned. It is a blessing to have Ben lead our team, and we look forward to his leadership and path toward greatness. We have been blessed with the greatest, most revered responsibility in sports – provide the best fans in the world with championship-level execution in everything that we do. Today, we take our next step in that pursuit. As we embark on the next chapter of our storied franchise, we are energized by what lies ahead.”
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