It was a very rough year for the Chicago Bears and Chairman George McCaskey, but the hiring of Ben Johnson as coach gives fans reason for optimism.

Two days before he was announced as the Chicago Bears head coach, Ben Johnson coached in the NFC Divisional Round as the Detroit Lions took on the Washington Commanders. Tom Brady was on the call for FOX,

Two days after the Chicago Bears introduced their current head coach, the coach they fired landed his next job.

Las Vegas parted ways with the first-year coach-GM tandem of Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco earlier this month, and the “allure” of Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, was said to have helped the Raiders become an enticing option for Johnson, 38.

Perhaps this is why McCaskey believed the Bears were the most attractive franchise for any potential head coach. Chicago has won nine NFL championships, but only two since the conclusion of the 1946 season. Those came in 1963 and 1985.

The Bears had targeted Johnson as their top candidate since firing head coach Matt Eberflus the day after Thanksgiving. They were convinced that his play-calling acumen and leadership skills were a perfect pairing with quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the Bears’ roster.

CHICAGO — A month ago, Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey sat through a ... Even the justifiable firing of former coach Matt Eberflus resulted in a black eye for Bears management, which ...

Lions quarterback Jared Goff has had a 102.7 passer rating the last three seasons with Johnson as his offensive coordinator, compared to 91.5 before that. The Bears are hoping Johnson will develop quarterback Caleb Williams in a way that former coach Matt Eberflus and his staff couldn’t.

Johnson has passed several tests already, but there are still questions about how it will all work out for the Bears' new coach.

Stability can be gained by adding experience. Similar to 2015, the Bears’ search feels purposeful after the team failed with Eberflus, who lacked previous head coaching experience. In 2022, the Bears chose Eberflus over Dan Quinn and Jim Caldwell, their two other finalists, both of whom had been head coaches.

Philosophically, Ben Johnson sounds like a complete 180-degree turn from Matt Eberflus. Here's why Johnson is a completely different coach from his predecessor, based on what he said during his introduction Wednesday.

It takes time to heal!” So, the Chicago Bears are trying to forget the unforgettable season of their 5 wins and 12 losses. The post Ex-NFLer Confirms Ben Johnson’s Plans for Bears’ Defense as Caleb Williams Excited for Journey With HC appeared first on EssentiallySports.