The Chicago Bears have assembled plenty of different coaching staffs in their history. Some have succeeded, such as those under Mike Ditka and Lovie Smith. Most have disappointed, like more recent versions under Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy, and Matt Eberflus. For the first time, maybe ever, it feels like this time is different. Chicago snagged the one coach everybody else wanted. Ben Johnson was the belle of the ball. He was the young gun with the sharp offensive mind that teams desired to guide their quarterbacks to success. Somehow, the Bears were the ones who lured him in.
Johnson arrived with more presence than people expected. His passion, energy, competitiveness, and attention to detail stood out immediately. However, it doesn't end there. Adam Jahns of CHGO has covered the Bears for a long time. He's seen several different variations of coaching staffs in that time. He insists that what Johnson has put together is significantly more intriguing than anything before it. One reason is the overall depth of coaching experience it has across the board.
Another is the amount of playing experience it also has.
The Chicago Bears are returning to a successful formula.
Having not just former players but former successful players in your coaching staff can be such a benefit to your team. New assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El won a Super Bowl in Pittsburgh while carving out a productive receiving career. Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy was an All-American in college, where he won a national championship. Quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett was a three-time Conference Player of the Year and also won a national title in college. Secondary coach Al Harris made two Pro Bowls as a cornerback in the NFL.
Few coaches in recent Bears history have followed this approach. Mike Ditka was the most notable. He had Dick Stanfel, a Hall of Fame guard, running his offensive line. Running backs coach Johnny Roland was a two-time Pro Bowler in his playing days. Seeing Johnson using a similar approach tells you he understands how good teams function. If you want Chicago Bears players to understand how to excel at the pro level, maybe connect them with guys who did precisely that in their own playing days.
