Ben Johnson was one of the most coveted head coaching candidates in the NFL this year and has been since the 2024 offseason. After making one last run with the Detroit Lions, Johnson has left Detroit for the division rival Chicago Bears to work with a talented young quarterback, Caleb Williams.
While the move was expected by many around the league, many on the Lions were stunned by his decision to choose the arch-rival Bears, including former Bears and current Lions RB David Montgomery.
David Montgomery Posts Meme, Shares Feelings on Ben Johnson Going to Chicago
Montgomery is no stranger to leaving one division rival for another, as he left the Bears for the Lions ahead of the 2023 NFL season, signing a three-year, $18 million contract in free agency. However, when the shoe was on the other foot, it came as a surprise to Montgomery.
Safe to say we know how David Montgomery is feeling about Ben Johnson leaving 🤣 pic.twitter.com/WAhpCmd6sV
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 21, 2025
While losing Johnson seemed inevitable for the Lions, losing him to a division rival, whom they have to play against twice a year, makes it sting even more. Montgomery is no doubt happy for his former offensive coordinator, but the meme adds humor to a common situation in sports, as players, coaches, and friends rarely stay on one team for their entire careers.
Johnson became a key figure in the Lions’ offense in 2019 and assumed full control as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2022. He helped Detroit average an NFL-best 33.1 points per game this season while also ranking No. 1 in PFN’s Offense+ metric.
Under Johnson, the Lions became a dominant rushing offense led by the tandem of Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. With a rushing offense as their foundation, he has created success in the passing game through the frequent use of play action, using it on a league-leading 37.8% of their dropbacks in 2024.
With Johnson no longer calling plays for Detroit, it remains to be seen how effective the offense will be. However, with talented playmakers across the offense and one of the league’s best offensive lines, Jared Goff and the Lions hope to stay effective on offense.
How Ben Johnson Affects the Chicago Bears
Many will look to the Johnson hire as a way to get the most out of Williams. This definitely played a role in this move, as Williams was drafted with the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, yet the Bears ranked No. 30 in PFN’s Offense+ metric.
SEE MORE: Bears GM Ryan Poles Issues Bold 5-Word Warning to Rest of NFL After Hiring Ben Johnson as Head Coach
While he showed flashes of greatness for Chicago, Williams also engineered the second-worst third-down offense in the NFL, and Johnson will have to work on this. This wasn’t all on Williams, though. He was the most sacked quarterback (68) in the NFL this season, and while some of that is on him for holding onto the ball for too long, poor offensive line play also plays a factor.
It remains to be seen if Johnson can create the same lethal rushing offense he created in Detroit. D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson are the current running backs he has to work with, and while both have had success at times in the NFL, neither have had the consistent success that Johnson’s running backs have had thus far.
With DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet all under contract in 2025, Johnson and Williams have weapons to work with. The Bears have the framework in place for a very competitive team, which is why this job was so appealing to Johnson.
However, there is still some work to do on this roster, in the running game, on the offensive line, and in finding a defensive signal-caller. Johnson and the Bears will be one of the top teams to watch next season, and if they can figure out those question marks, they could be a very dangerous team.