Bears hire Ben Johnson as head coach

Johnson arrives in Chicago having led one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Over the past two seasons, no unit has averaged more points per game. game (30.1) or net yards per game (402.2) than Johnson’s offensive unit with the Detroit Lions. During each of his three seasons coordinating Detroit’s offense, Johnson’s group has finished in the top five in total offense, including a No. 2 ranking in 2024. Last season, Johnson’s leadership drove the Lions to an average of 409.5 yards per carry. game offensively, a franchise record, as his unit’s total of 68 offensive touchdowns was the most of any team in the NFL.

Johnson spent six total seasons with the Lions starting in 2019 in an offensive quality control capacity. In 2021, Johnson added coordinator responsibilities mid-season, earning the promotion to full-time offensive coordinator for the 2022 season, the same season Detroit won eight of their last 10 matchups to end the year. A season later, Johnson’s group finished as No. 3 in the NFL in total offense (394.8) and no. 2 in passing offense (258.9), and finished the season in the NFC Championship Game and as a finalist for AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.

Prior to Detroit, Johnson served seven seasons on the staff of the Miami Dolphins, working under three different head coaches. During his seven years at Miami, Johnson served in the capacities of offensive assistant (2012), assistant quarterbacks coach (2013-15), tight ends coach (2015), assistant wide receivers coach (2016-17) and wide receiver coach (2018) ). Johnson entered the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at Boston College (2009-10), spending three years in Chestnut Hill, including the 2011 season as the tight ends coach.

The Fairview, NC, native was a walk-on quarterback at the University of North Carolina, earning degrees in mathematics and computer science. Johnson and his wife, Jessica, have three children – Emory, Kennedy and Halle.