Nobody knows for sure what kind of head coach Ben Johnson will be. Such things are impossible to predict. However, it is beyond certain that this hire by the Chicago Bears is by far the most well-received of the modern era. Never has the organization brought in somebody with a stronger track record for success and more legitimate hype than the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator. The craziest part is much of that buzz isn't just coming from fans. Even former head coaches are feeding the flames.
Mike Martz already went on record saying he believes the Bears have landed a once-in-a-generation coach, having seen Johnson in action during his ascent with the Miami Dolphins in the mid-2010s. Now he's joined by former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan. Mike Greenberg of ESPN relayed the story on Waddle & Silvy that Ryan has been telling everybody who would listen for at least the past two years that Johnson is the next Bill Walsh, the Hall of Fame legend who built the San Francisco 49ers dynasty of the 1980s.
Ben Johnson being the next Walsh would be rather fitting.
Chicago was haunted by him throughout his tenure in San Francisco. His teams beat the Bears not once but twice in the 1984 and 1988 NFC championship games. The fact he did it with Joe Montana as his quarterback, who Chicago almost drafted in 1979, rubbed extra salt in the wounds. Walsh became famous for his incredible innovations on the offensive side of the ball. He was the architect of the West Coast offense, a system that elevated the quarterback in ways never seen before. Elements of it are still used to this day.
Many see Ben Johnson as another ascending offensive mind. Unlike Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay, he doesn't have direct roots in any particular system. What he built in Detroit was constructed from several different schemes he's experienced over the years. Ryan's infatuation with him comes from a family connection. His son Seth Ryan is the assistant wide receivers coach for the Lions. He was there all three years that Johnson was the offensive coordinator. He saw the man work every single day.
Comparing him to Walsh is the ultimate praise. If it proves true, a golden era for Bears football is right around the corner.
