A few weeks ago, Albert Breer of the MMQB revealed that Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had an interest in the Chicago Bears head coaching job this past off-season. When it didn't come open, he opted to stay in Detroit another year. Now that Matt Eberflus is gone, the belief was he might jump at the chance to take it this time. However, around that same time, Adam Schefter of ESPN tried to downplay the idea Johnson was going anywhere. He was happy with the Lions and would be very "selective" about any head coaching job.
Apparently, something changed. Schefter provided an update on the Bears coaching situation for Sunday NFL Countdown. After going over Eberflus' departure and the promotion of Thomas Brown to interim head coach, he mentioned how Johnson would be a candidate for the job. Not only that but that interest he tried to downplay might be there after all.
Ben Johnson being interested isn't a huge surprise.
By January of this past year, it was evident that the Bears would hold the #1 overall pick. That meant they held the rights to USC star quarterback Caleb Williams. Many felt he was a generational prospect in the same category as Andrew Luck over a decade ago. While that may have been a bit over the top, it was clear Williams had many admirers in the NFL. If he was going to Chicago, any offensive coach would jump at the chance to work with him. If they could get him to realize his potential, it would mean over a decade of sustained success. Ben Johnson probably sees the same thing, especially after watching the Bears rookie throw three touchdown passes against his Lions on Thanksgiving.
That could become the most fruitful partnership this city has seen in decades. Whether the organization actually pulls the trigger depends on the next couple of months.
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