The Chicago Bears officially have their new head coach.
Ben Johnson, a 38-year old who has been on the Detroit Lions staff since 2019 (and had served as offensive coordinator since '22), agreed to take his first head coaching job on Monday. The hire, which has been greeted with delight by Bears fans and team personnel, immediately makes Johnson one of the highest-paid coaches in the league.
Johnson is pumped to be in Chicago as well. The offensive mastermind, who was arguably the most sought-after coaching candidate in this cycle, posted a quick message for Bears fans as he prepared for his introductory press conference coming Wednesday.
"Alright Bears Nation, get ready to go," Johnson said. "Beyond fired up to be here. This is exciting times, cannot wait to get to work! Bear down, baby."
🐻⬇️ BABY pic.twitter.com/AWA37OcFfH
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 21, 2025
That "get ready to go" could easily be directed towards rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft who had an encouraging, if inconsistent, first year in the pros.
Johnson quickly helped turn the Lions' offense into one of the most dynamic attacks in the league under Dan Campbell, he is a pretty ideal fit for a team that should already have its franchise signal caller on the roster.
Williams is pretty excited for the move as well, something he was pranked into revealing long before the hire became official.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ben Johnson Shares Fired-Up Message to Bears Fans Before Introductory Press Conference.
