Detroit Lions News & Rumors

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has rebuffed the opportunity to be a head coach in each of the last two hiring cycles, and he has done nothing to hurt his stock in 2024. He is again expected to be one of the hottest HC candidates in the upcoming cycle, though he will remain highly selective about his destination.

Given the Bears’ abundance of salary cap space, skill position talent, and the presence of talented rookie-contract QB Caleb Williams, it is easy to see why they believe their HC post is the most desirable among those that are expected to be available in 2025. Bill Belichick, before he made the surprising decision to join the college ranks, reportedly shared that view.

The attractiveness of the job in a vacuum is one thing, but a November report suggested that Johnson may steer clear of the Bears due to perceived organizational dysfunction. However, subsequent reports noted that Johnson may indeed consider the Chicago gig, and today, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network said that the 38-year-old offensive guru is “intrigued” by the position and is willing to listen to the Bears’ pitch (video link). As we had previously heard that Johnson is not going to interview simply for the sake of interviewing, any summit he conducts with Bears brass would seemingly indicate that he is prepared to accept the job if offered.

While the Bears have been said to be prioritizing a “leader of men” type of head coach over a candidate with a specific background, Johnson’s reputation as an offensive mastermind is not only in keeping with the trend in today’s HC searches, but it would be especially beneficial to a team looking to unlock the potential of a blue chip prospect like Williams. 

And, despite turning down what was generally regarded as a similarly appealing post with the Commanders in the 2024 hiring period, Johnson reiterated that he wants to take a team’s top job at some point.

“I think there’s a burning desire in every man to find what he’s made out of and push the limits and see if he’s got what it takes,” Johnson said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “And so yeah, there’s a fire there. Now, when that time is? I don’t know, when that’ll be, but there’s certainly a fire there.”

When asked specifically about Williams, Johnson was complimentary but conceded that he had not really studied the rookie’s tape. 

“Listen, it’s been difficult to sit down and just study every throw but plenty of crossover tape over the course of the year and there’s no question this guy’s talented,” Johnson said. “I remember standing on the sideline last game and just you can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s got quite a fastball and has some creativity to him, can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well. Like I said, I haven’t really dove in and can tell you much more beyond that, but he’s been impressive from afar.”

Whether Johnson finally decides to move on from Detroit will be perhaps the top question when it comes to the 2025 HC carousel. If he does, it sounds as if the Bears will be firmly in the mix.

Interestingly, Johnson – a UNC alum – was not contacted by the school to discuss its head coaching vacancy, as Birkett notes in a separate piece. Of course, that job went to Belichick, who will continue his legendary career as the Tar Heels’ skipper.