One day, Ben Johnson will be a head coach in the NFL. It's just a matter of when, and where.
Next season in Chicago? There's certainly a chance.
After going through head coaching interviews each of the last two years and turning down the Panthers in 2023 and the Commanders in 2024, Johnson could be destined for the head job with the Bears, who fired Matt Eberflus earlier this season.
Asked Thursday about his readiness for the upcoming hiring cycle during which he'll be one of the most sought-after candidates in the industry, Johnson said, "I'd say I’m much more prepared than I was the last two years."
"Last couple of years, getting thrown in the coordinator role, things get on you fast and you don’t really have time to think about the future a whole lot," he said. "Now that I’ve been through the ringer a couple of times, had some interviews, I certainly do feel more prepared just from a big-picture standpoint."
Johnson, 38, has coordinated a top-five NFL offense each of the last three seasons in Detroit. On the heels of turning down the Commanders, Johnson explained that he had unfinished business with the Lions and moreover, that he wasn't willing to leave his current post for a head job elsewhere "unless I feel really good about how it’s going to unfold."
Asked Thursday if he wants to be a head coach in the NFL, Johnson said, "Yeah, I’d say this, I think there’s a burning desire in every man to find what he’s made out of, push the limits and see if he’s got what it takes. So, yeah, there’s a fire there. Now, when that time is, I don’t know when that’ll be, but there’s certainly a fire there.”
The Bears could be an enticing job if Johnson believes in Caleb Williams. A franchise quarterback is a must-have for just about any coach who wants to keep his job for more than a few years. As Johnson said last offseason, if he ever goes down the head-coaching road, "it’s about, how do I get to that second contract? How do I set myself up? The stars need to align. I’m not going to do it just to do it."
Johnson was asked Thursday if Williams has a skillset that a new coach would find appealing. The first overall pick has had a rocky rookie season with the Bears, but he's thrown 17 touchdowns to five interceptions despite being sacked an NFL-high 58 times.
“It’s been difficult to just sit down and study every throw, but plenty of crossover tape over the course of the year and there’s no question that this guy is talented," Johnson said. "I remember standing on the sideline last game (against the Bears) and you can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s got quite a fastball, has some creativity to him, can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well.
"Like I said, I haven’t really dove in and can't tell you much more beyond that, but he’s been impressive from afar.”
That was as much as Johnson would say on the head-coaching topic. The Lions are chasing their second straight division title and the top seed in the NFC ahead of the playoffs, and Johnson remains focused on finishing his business in Detroit.
"We’ve got three games left in the regular season, going into the postseason, and honestly this is why I’m here," he said. "This is why I wanted to be here. I have an obligation to the people in the building to be right where my feet are. When I walk in and see the coaches staying long nights and working as hard as they are, and I come in and see the players in the meeting room and on the practice field attacking each day like they are, it’s hard for my mind to wander much beyond what we’re doing in the here and now.”