Ben Johnson didn’t just arrive in Chicago and improve the Bears — he changed the atmosphere of the entire organization. Less than a full season into his tenure, it’s already clear the Bears struck gold. And the transformation may only be getting started.
Not long ago, there were doubts about whether Johnson’s success in Detroit would translate to the head coaching role. Critics wondered if he was simply an elite play designer — someone capable of orchestrating a high-powered offense but not necessarily leading an entire franchise. Those questions now look wildly off the mark.
Fourteen games into the Ben Johnson era in Chicago, there’s little debate left: he belongs.
The turnaround has been so convincing that even longtime skeptics have reversed course. Colin Cowherd, once doubtful of Johnson, Caleb Williams, and the Bears as a whole, has become a believer. He’s gone as far as suggesting Johnson could end up being one of the most impactful coaching hires in NFL history — lofty praise, but not without reason.
The comparison many are now making is to Sean McVay. When McVay took over the Rams, they were coming off a miserable 4–12 season and fielded the league’s worst offense by nearly every metric. One year later, Los Angeles was 11–5, playoff-bound, and leading the NFL in scoring.
Johnson walked into a similarly bleak situation. Chicago had finished 5–12, with an offense ranked near the bottom of the league — 28th in scoring and dead last in total yardage. Fast forward to now, and the Bears sit at 10–4, ranking inside the top ten in points and top five in total offense. The leap has been dramatic, bordering on astonishing.
There are other striking similarities between the two hires. Both McVay and Johnson inherited teams that had selected a quarterback first overall the year before their arrival. In an ironic twist, that Rams quarterback was Jared Goff — the same player who later revitalized his career under Johnson in Detroit.
Where the two differ is perception at the time of hiring. McVay was a gamble, an untested 30-year-old whose appointment raised questions about leadership and locker-room authority. Johnson, by contrast, entered Chicago with an elite résumé. After guiding the Lions to three consecutive top-five finishes in both scoring and yardage, he was one of the most coveted coaching candidates in the league for multiple years. When the Bears finally made their move, it was a statement — and it’s paying off.
Their paths to the top also mirror each other. Both coaches began their NFL careers as offensive assistants, later worked with tight ends, and steadily climbed the coaching ladder before earning their chance to run a team.
The early returns suggest Chicago didn’t just hire a head coach — they may have found the cornerstone of their future.
