Schefter: Lions’ Ben Johnson ‘In Play’ as HC Candidate for Caleb Williams, Bears

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson appears to be a candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching vacancy.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Johnson is “in play” for the Bears opening and that he “has interest” in the job.

“I think he has interest in the job,” Schefter said. “There’s enough there that he’s going to at least have interest in talking with them and seeing whether or not it’s worth pursuing. I’m sure they’re gonna request to interview him and I’m sure that he’s gonna talk to them and then it’s up to the two side to figure out if there is a match there.”

Johnson has been with the Lions since 2019 and has been the offensive coordinator since 2022. He has helped lead a potent Lions offense that has led the team to a 9-8 record in 2022, a 12-5 record in 2023 and a 13-2 start to the 2024 season.

He has helped revitalize quarterback Jared Goff’s career and also utilized the team’s numerous offensive weapons effectively. That could be an intriguing trait for Chicago, who has some star talent but has been unable to capitalize on it in 2024.

The Bears are 4-11 and have lost nine consecutive games heading into Week 17. This comes despite the presence of 2024 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams at quarterback and a deep receiver room consisting of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and 2024 first-round pick Rome Odunze.

Chicago fired head coach Matt Eberflus following a Thanksgiving loss to the Lions and will likely look to make a splash with the next head coaching hire. Johnson’s success with the Lions could make him a prime candidate and the talent on the Bears roster could be enough to pull him away from Detroit.