Bears are finalizing a deal with a familiar name for new HC

The Chicago Bears have a new head coach, and some will say they landed the hottest name on the market.

Ben Johnson is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach of the Bears, according to multiple reports.

Johnson has been the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions for the past three seasons. He drew interest from teams as a head coach candidate last year, but he chose to return to the Lions and wait for the right opportunity. He feels he has that in Chicago.

The 38-year-old Johnson had been viewed as a favorite for the Las Vegas Raiders head coach job, but he opted for the Bears instead. He will now get to work with quarterback Caleb Williams, who was the top overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Johnson may have wanted to avoid the AFC West, assuming the Raiders offered him their head coach job. The Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos all have proven head coaches and quarterbacks (for the most part), so Johnson may have been hesitant to join such a stacked division.

The Lions led the NFL with 33.2 points per game this season. They ranked second in the league with 409.5 total yards per game.

Detroit earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, but their season came to a surprising end with a 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders on Saturday. 

They will now need to replace their offensive coordinator and possibly their defensive coordinator, who is also expected to land a head coach job.