Ben Johnson was one of the most highly coveted candidates during the NFL‘s current coaching cycle, drawing interest from numerous teams.
After turning down a head coaching opportunity last offseason to chase a title with the Detroit Lions, Johnson accepted the Chicago Bears’ job. Now, details about his contract are coming to light, and it turns out he’s now one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL.
Ben Johnson’s Salary and Contract
Initially, there were some rumors that Johnson’s salary with the Bears would pay him around $13 million annually. Now, that number has been confirmed.
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that Johnson signed a huge, five-year, $65 million contract with the Bears.
Considering the interest Johnson had from three different NFL teams — the Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders — plus the option of returning the Lions as one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, it’s no surprise that Chicago had to break the bank to hire him.
Johnson’s $13 million average salary makes him the seventh-highest-paid head coach in the NFL. For reference, he’s reportedly making more than Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh ($12 million) and Lions head coach Dan Campbell ($11 million).
Which NFL Coaches Are Earning More Than Johnson?
Here is the current list of NFL coaches who are earning more than Johnson with the Bears.
1) Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2024 salary: $20 million
Andy Reid is widely regarded as the best head coach in the NFL, so it makes sense that he’s also the league’s highest-paid coach.
The Kansas City Chiefs extended Reid in late April, locking him up on a new deal that made him the top-ranked head coach on this list. He’s under contract through the 2029 season.
2) Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
- 2024 salary: $18 million
In Feb. 2023, NBC Sports’ Peter King reported that Sean Payton signed a five-year contract “in the neighborhood” of $18 million annually. Considering the draft capital and money they gave up, the Denver Broncos clearly expect Payton to turn the team into a perennial contender. Which he did. The Broncos made it to the first round of the NFL playoffs.
T-3) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2024 salary: $16 million
Mike Tomlin was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach on Jan. 27, 2007. He has never had a losing season, holding the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons to begin an NFL coaching career. Tomlin’s worst seasons came in 2012, 2013, and 2019, when his teams finished 8-8.
The Steelers and Tomlin agreed to terms on a three-year extension to keep him under contract through the 2027 season. According to Front Office Sports, he’s earning $16 million annually.
T-3) Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
- 2024 salary: $16 million
After a nearly decade-long stint as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2024 offseason.
5) Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
- 2024 salary: $15 million
After becoming a head coach at age 30, McVay became the youngest NFL head coach (37) to win a Super Bowl when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022.
Amazon reportedly offered McVay $100 million over five years to serve as a broadcaster after the 2022 campaign, but he chose to stay in Los Angeles — and received a subsequent pay bump.
So, if Johnson is hired, he will join an elite list of coaches who will make a boatload of money in their first year as head coaches.
6) Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
- 2024 salary: $14 million
Multiple outlets have Shanahan earning $14 million a year, which reportedly makes him the sixth-highest-paid coach in the league. Previously, Shanahan was under contract through the 2025 campaign, but then he received a multi-year contract extension in 2023.
This is the second extension that Shanahan has inked with the 49ers, with the other coming in 2020.
San Francisco didn’t reveal how many years were added to his deal, but some reports indicate that his deal now stretches through the 2027 season.
