Week 17 provided again another excellent illustration of why the Chicago Bears must appoint an offensive-minded head coach in the near future.
In what may have been the worst game of the 2024 NFL season, the Bears only scored three points against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, tying a season-low in points scored. With the exception of a Caleb Williams touchdown pass to Rome Odunze that was eventually called back due to a penalty, there wasn’t much to be complimentary about the Bears’ offensive performance in this game.
Until the Bears make a hire, the current coaching vacancy will be the most talked-about topic among this fan base. Of course, Ben Johnson, the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, is one of the best candidates.
Most supporters are already aware that Johnson is a strong contender. His visit to Chicago has also been a topic of discussion for many fans, with much of the most recent information giving the situation optimism.
The thought of Johnson in Chicago has been the subject of innumerable reports, rumors, and analyses, but fans will still keep an eye on what prominent sources have to say. NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Media are two of those sources.
In a recent post about coaching hot seats and vacancies, the two of them said, rather simply, the following about Johnson in Chicago:
“One notable name likely to be involved in the process is Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is highly sought after and interested in considering the opportunity.”
It appears that the level of interest is genuine, notwithstanding any reports that Johnson might not want to stay in Chicago due to organizational turmoil. Johnson is interested in the position and will listen.
Among the Bears’ top coaching contenders is Ben Johnson.
Ben Johnson is among the leading candidates for the Bears’ head coaching position. Rapoport and Pelissero also highlighted Mike Vrabel, former head coach of the Tennessee Titans, Brian Flores, defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, and Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, as top contenders.
A recent wild card name among the other contenders is Pete Carroll, the former head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, whose name was recently mentioned. The Bears are even allegedly interested in interviewing Carroll, which surprised a lot of fans.
Aaron Glenn, the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, will also be a popular choice for this coaching position. After numerous injuries, he has done a commendable job of keeping this Lions defense afloat.
It goes without saying that hiring the correct coach is the top priority. However, what follows will be quite instructive. Johnson would need to feel that there is a clear plan in place from the top down if he were hired.
Does that imply that Ryan Poles will remain? Or does Johnson start under a new general manager? He has made it clear that he would only accept a position if he was certain that a clear plan was in place, and he has made it clear that he is not interested in a front office/general manager relationship that is dysfunctional.
Without a doubt, the upcoming weeks will be an exciting journey.
