On Thanksgiving Day, the Detroit Lions defeated the Chicago Bears, and the next day, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was dismissed. Naturally, the Lions’ coordinators (Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn) are usually regarded as top prospects for the position.
The ultimate question is whether Johnson and Glenn, who should have several options if they want to leave the Lions for a head coaching job after the season, will consider the Bears a desirable opportunity. Potential applicants were undoubtedly aware of the manner in which Eberflus was fired, as the move occurred after he spoke to the media.
In late October, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated told ESPN 1000 in Chicago that Johnson wanted the Bears’ job last year. But it obviously never came open when Eberflus was retained.
During the Nov. 7 episode of “Get Up”, as Eberflus’ future started to become a question, ESPN’s Adam Schefter questioned if Johnson would have real interest in the Bears’ job.
“Ben Johnson’s gonna be very, very selective about the place that he chooses to go, if he decides even to leave Detroit. He’s gonna be very careful,” Schefter said.
“I don’t know that he desires to leave that division to head, in the division, to go to a place that you’re talking about the dysfunction that has existed within that organization.”
Adam Schefter changes tune a bit on Ben Johnson and the Bears’ head coaching job
On “Sunday NFL Countdown” Sunday morning, perhaps armed with some fresh insider information, Schefter had a bit of a different tune regarding Johnson and the Bears’ job.
“Everybody’s gonna have their eyes on Ben Johnson, the Lions offensive coordinator, and I think he might have some interest in that job,” Schefter said.
“We’ll see if they can convince him to come to Chicago.”
There are a few reasons Johnson would have interest in the Bears’ head coaching job. They have a promising young quarterback in Caleb Williams, some good weapons around him (D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet) and a currently projected $82 million in cap space (fifth-most in the league, according to Over The Cap).
Johnson has been and will be selective in his choosing of a head coaching job. But will he overlook the organizational ineptitude the Bears have shown, and see all the other good things the job can offer? For now the vibe seems to be toward yes, he might have interest in leaving the Lions for Chicago.
