 Johnson with theChicago Bears in 2025 | |
| Chicago Bears | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1986-05-11)May 11, 1986 (age 39) Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | A. C. Reynolds(Asheville, North Carolina) |
| College | North Carolina (2004–2007) |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | 8–3 (.727) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Benjamin David Johnson (born May 11, 1986) is an American professionalfootball coach who is thehead coach for theChicago Bears of theNational Football League (NFL). His NFL coaching career began as an assistant with theMiami Dolphins in 2012, coaching quarterbacks, tight ends, and wide receivers. Johnson later joined theDetroit Lions in 2019, rising tooffensive coordinator in 2022 and leading the team to a top-five offense in every season, including the top-ranked during the2024 season.
Johnson was born inCharleston, South Carolina on May 11, 1986. His father, Don Johnson, was a high school principal who coached atIdaho State University andThe Citadel, and his mother Gail Johnson, was a middle school teacher.[1][2]
He attended and playedquarterback atA. C. Reynolds High School inAsheville, North Carolina. His junior year, he helped lead the team to aNorth Carolina 4A state championship, and as a senior, was named conference player of the year.[2][3] Johnson graduated in the top five of his high school class.[2]
Johnson was awalk-on for theTar Heels at theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2004 to 2007, where he competed as a reserve quarterback.[4] He graduated in 2008 with degrees inmathematics andcomputer science.[2][5]
After college graduation, Johnson spent a year outside of football, working instead as a software developer inDurham, North Carolina for the company eTeleNext.[6][7]
Inspired to get into coaching by his offensive coordinator at UNC,John Shoop, Johnson was hired as agraduate assistant for theBoston College Eagles in 2009.[1] He was promoted to tight ends coach in 2011.[8]
Johnson was hired as an offensive assistant for theMiami Dolphins in February 2012.[9] He was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2013 and was promoted to tight ends coach in 2015 under interim coachDan Campbell after head coachJoe Philbin was fired following a 1–3 start.[10] Johnson was retained by new head coachAdam Gase, named assistant wide receivers coach in 2017 and promoted to wide receivers coach the following season.[11]
Johnson was hired as an offensive quality control coach for theDetroit Lions in 2019.[12] He was promoted to tight ends coach in 2020 and was retained afterDan Campbell was named head coach in 2021, following the firing ofMatt Patricia.[13][14] The same season, he would be promoted to pass game coordinator afterAnthony Lynn was stripped of play-calling duties following an 0–8 start.[1]
Johnson was promoted tooffensive coordinator in February 2022,[15] receiving head coaching interest by the end of the season after leading the Lions to a top five offense with eight games over 30 points, a single-season franchise record.[5]
He remained in Detroit for the2023 season, despite being heavily pursued by theCarolina Panthers,[16] in which the team finished third in total offense, won the division for the first time since 1993, and defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24–23 in theWild Card Round to win a playoff game for the first time since 1991.[17] The Lions would later defeat theTampa Bay Buccaneers in theDivisional Round to advance to the2023 NFC Championship Game, but ultimately lose to theSan Francisco 49ers.[18][19] In both the NFC Divisional Round against the Buccaneers and the NFC Championship against the 49ers, Johnson's offense put up over thirty points and over 100 rushing yards. On January 30, 2024, Johnson announced he would be returning to the Lions despite being considered a prime head coaching candidate for both theWashington Commanders andSeattle Seahawks.[20]
During the2024 season, Johnson called the league's top ranked offense (33.2 ppg) and set multiple records, including most 40 point games without any turnovers, (5) and achieving the highest PPG in franchise history.[21] The Lions had six games scoring at least 40 points, and became the first team in NFL history to produce four different players with 1,000 scrimmage yards, with two wide receivers and two running backs.[22][23] The Lions secured the top seed and a bye week in the playoffs, but lost in NFCDivisional Round to theWashington Commanders.[24]
After the regular season, Johnson interviewed with theChicago Bears,Jacksonville Jaguars,Las Vegas Raiders, andNew England Patriots for their vacant head coach positions.[25]
On January 21, 2025, Johnson was hired as the head coach of theChicago Bears, replacingMatt Eberflus.[26]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| CHI | 2025 | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | TBD in NFC North | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
Johnson cited his offensive scheme as being influenced byKevin Rogers,Darrell Bevell,Adam Gase,Clyde Christensen,Mike Martz, andJohn Shoop.[1]
Johnson is married to his high school sweetheart Jessica, with whom he has three children.[27]