The Chicago Bears have their guy. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the Bears officially announced Ben Johnson as their new head coach with an introductory press conference scheduled for Wednesday morning, Jan. 22.
NFL insider Jonathon Jones of CBS tweeted a quote from Bears general manager Ryan Poles, simply stating, “This is just the beginning.”
Ryan Poles Addresses Why the Bears Hired Ben Johnson
The five-word “warning” comes from the same Bears GM who also said, “We’re going to take the [NFC] North and never give it back.”
In the nearly three years since this quote, the Bears are 15-36 and are moving on to their second head coach of Poles’ tenure. So while this is just the beginning of Johnson’s tenure with the Bears, it would be more appropriately described as a new beginning for Ryan Poles and the Bears.
That said, Poles had a lot more to say about Johnson’s hire, including saying that Johnson is “a proven leader with winning pedigree and a mind toward innovation.” Johnson has been widely known as the engine that drives the Lions offense (ranked No. 1 in the NFL in 2024 in PFN’s Offense+ metric), which has contributed very robustly to their recent regular season success.
“Throughout our search process, I was thoroughly impressed by Ben’s character, intelligence, leadership and ability to connect,” Poles said. “A progressive offensive mind, Ben’s plan for all three phases of our team, which is centered on creating a winning and competitive environment, became evidently clear.
“Meeting with Ben and gaining an understanding of his process and vision, the more confident we became that Ben is the right leader for our team and that he and I will be great partners in building our team and shaping our franchise for long-term success.
“It is undeniable how passionate Ben is for serving in the role of head coach of the Chicago Bears, and we are primed, equipped and excited to welcome him and his family to Chicago and to commence our process of building a championship-caliber team, together. This is just the beginning.”
🗣️ "This is exactly where we wanted to be." pic.twitter.com/mT56UoVGdl
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 21, 2025
Regardless of what you do, who you’re in charge of, or what field you’re in, there can never be too much said about having high-character people around you; Poles and the Bears get full marks for hiring someone like that, and credit is due to Johnson for being that type of person, as the Bears see him fit.
The Bears need help and are counting on Johnson to bring it, in the two full and one partial seasons under Matt Eberflus, the Bears ranked 23rd, 18th, and 28th, respectively, in points per game from 2022-2024 while transitioning from Justin Fields to No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at quarterback.
Johnson has done great things with the Lions offense and Jared Goff, and the Bears are hoping Johnson can have a similar effect on Caleb Williams.
Johnson Offers His First Words on Joining the Bears
Johnson hasn’t been formally introduced by the team yet but has had some things to say about accepting the head coach position with the Bears: “The Chicago Bears are a world-class franchise with a phenomenal history and incredible fanbase.”
“I am thankful to [chairman] George [Halas McCaskey], [team president and CEO] Kevin [Warren], Ryan [Poles,] and the entire organization for presenting me and my family with this tremendous opportunity. Having been on the opposing sideline, I can attest to how passionate Bears fans are about this city and their team, and I am honored to be their head coach.”
“My family and I are incredibly blessed and fortunate to take this next step in our journey, and I cannot wait to lead our players, our support staff and organization, while doing so at the service of Bears fans.
“We are looking forward to fully ingraining ourselves in the great city of Chicago, as we work to create an impact in this special community. I am excited to partner with Ryan and the entire organization as we work to create a championship-caliber program. We are ready to get to work.”
Much of this is what you would expect to hear an incoming head coach say to their new fanbase, but stay tuned, as Johnson will have more to say when being formally introduced by the team.
