The Chicago Bears are raiding one of their NFC North rivals to fill their coaching vacancy.
The Bears are finalizing a deal to hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach, according to multiple reports.
Johnson, 38, had been one of the most coveted coaching candidates on the market after withdrawing from consideration for other positions in the last two offseasons. He interviewed with the Bears last Saturday and also met with the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots – before the team hired Mike Vrabel last Sunday – for their vacancies.
But when the Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in the divisional round on Saturday, Johnson was free to join any team.
Lauded for his creativity as a play-caller, Johnson orchestrated an attack that led the NFL in scoring this season at 33.2 points per game. His offense ranked in the top five for both yards and points in all three years he has been at the helm under Dan Campbell.
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The Bears, meanwhile, have only ranked in the top five in either category just once since 2007, with their 2013 campaign in which they finished second in scoring serving as the lone outlier.
In Chicago, he’ll be tasked with helping get No. 1 pick Caleb Williams on the right track after a trying rookie season for the quarterback and USC product. The Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus after 12 games on the road to a 5-12 record.
Johnson has already been working to assemble a staff and is expected to select former New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen as his defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Johnson said last week he had learned from his previous interviews and felt better positioned to handle meetings with teams.
“This go-around, I’ve been a lot more prepared for the types of questions that they’ve been asking,’ Johnson said. ‘I’ve also changed my frame of mind a little bit, and instead of worrying solely about the offense and what we’re doing right here, I’ve been able to have offseasons and summers to think about, big-picture view, what a program would look like where I’m running it.”
Campbell acknowledged earlier Monday he was preparing to lose both Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to other teams’ head-coaching jobs.
“That’s my job, is to replenish and find the next man up and the guy who’s going to give us the best chance to have success on both sides of the ball,” Campbell said.
The Bears interviewed 17 candidates in total but were not compliant with the Rooney Rule until Sunday, when their meeting with Tennessee State head coach and former Titans great Eddie George satisfied the requirement that all teams meet in person with multiple external minority candidates for any head coach vacancy.
This story has been updated with new information and to correct an inaccuracy.