Another Reason Hiring Ben Johnson Is Great News For The Bears

The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson for many reasons, primarily his proven offensive expertise. They hope he will be exactly what quarterback Caleb Williams needs to take his game to the next level. Beyond that, Johnson has a reputation for being detailed, disciplined, and able to foster strong relationships. GM Ryan Poles did tons of research going back several months, determining if this was the leader the Bears needed. By Christmas last year, he had his answer. Johnson was hired 48 hours after the Detroit Lions were eliminated from the playoffs.

There is another reason people haven't noticed this hire that makes it more exciting. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog pointed it out in a recent column.

Ben Johnson is now firmly placed in the lineage of Bill Parcells, which traces through Sean Payton to Dan Campbell. (The Dennis Allen hiring at DC furthers this.) Few coaching trees have been more successful than that of Parcells, and everyone in Chicago should hope that continues.

This is a big deal to those who understand their history. Bill Parcells was a two-time Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer. Yet his greatest achievement may have been fostering one of the richest coaching trees in NFL history. Three of his assistants, Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, and Tom Coughlin, went on to win Super Bowls as head coaches of their own teams. Before becoming the greatest head coach in college football history, Nick Saban was an assistant under Belichick in Cleveland. Five others eventually took teams to the playoffs at least once.

Ben Johnson is descended from coaching royalty.

His first NFL stint came in 2012 with the Miami Dolphins. Their GM at the time, Jeff Ireland, had been hired by Parcells. So, the connections between the new Bears coach and the NFL legend run deep. It is rather fascinating the organization has never tried plucking from that tree before now. They've had multiple opportunities over the years. They interviewed Belichick for the job in 1999. Payton was available for trade in 2023. Jerry Angelo reportedly wanted to hire Saban in 2004, but the money couldn't be worked out. Finally, 15 years after Parcells retired, the Bears took the plunge. If Ben Johnson lives up to that legacy as others have, the franchise will be in a great spot for years to come.