Ben

Johnson

Just hours after it was reported that Johnson would be finalizing his interview schedule, Johnson appears headed for the Windy City. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report it, as any rumors of Johnson being the next coach of the Raiders can be laid to rest just days after he was being hyped as the favorite to land in Vegas. Johnson will now be tasked with helping Caleb Williams and the Bears take the next step after a tumultuous 2024 that featured multiple offensive coordinators and head coaches for the No. 1 overall pick of last year’s draft. During his three years in Detroit, Johnson’s offense consistently finished in the top five in yards and points per game and led the league with 33.2 points per game this season. Known for his elaborate schemes and ability to create room for his receivers to operate, Johnson is the exact kind of coach many believed Williams would need to reach his full potential as a pro after entering the league as one of the highest touted prospects of the last decade. Johnson will now take the upcoming days to round out his staff as he prepares to embark on his much-anticipated first season as a head coach.

The Raiders have bet big on their chances of getting Ben Johnson, with an interview with former Lions executive Lance Newmark the latest sign that they are hoping to create a coalition around what Johnson wants. It appears the Ben Johnson silly season will come to a close soon with the Bears and Jaguars also circling. However, Reed writes that the big question that remains is “whether Johnson would take the job,” as the Raiders lack talent compared to the other two squads, especially at quarterback. Carroll would be a strong rebound hire despite his advanced age. He had a strong 14-year run with the Seahawks and would likely bring some semblance of stability to an organization that has had trouble instilling that.

As Russini points out, the Raiders, Bears, and Jaguars have all shown “strong interest” in Johnson, whose offense came up short in an upset loss to the Commanders in the Divisional Round. Johnson is expected to take his time when it comes to deciding if and where he would serve as a head coach and is not a lock to meet with all teams interested in his services. In three seasons as Lions’ OC, Johnson’s offense has ranked in the top five in both yards and points per game. Considered to be one of the top offensive minds in the game, there will be high hopes for whatever team he lands with, which could also prove to have several viable fantasy assets for the 2025 season and beyond.

A source indicates Johnson is “still very early in the process of making a decision about next year.” The sought-after head coach candidate reportedly had people gathering information on his behalf while he focused on the Lions’ now-dashed Super Bowl dreams. The Raiders recently interviewed Commanders assistant general manager Lance Newmark, who is said to have a close relationship with Johnson, but per the source, Newmark’s interview “doesn’t mean a lot right now.” Johnson’s search is still in “phase one” but things could pick up quickly now that the Lions’ season is over. “Johnson can engage in face-to-face interviews as soon as” Monday.

The Jaguars have interviewed eight head coach candidates thus far and the two Lions coordinators appear to hold the top two spots on the ownership’s wish list. While Glenn is considered a highly sought-after coach in his own right, it stands to reason that Johnson is the organization’s top choice.

Schefter also said that he thinks both Johnson and Jerry Jones have “other ideas” for this offseason’s hiring cycle. Schefter then refocused the conversation on the Raiders and Bears, saying “I know everybody’s got Ben Johnson anointed to the Raiders... I’m not in that camp right now. Why is everybody ignoring Chicago?” Schefter carefully added that Johnson could still end up as the Raiders’ new head coach but highlighted the AFC West’s highly competitive nature and the Raiders’ undesirable quarterback situation. The NFC North is certainly not a soft division but the Bears do have the requisite skill position players to hit the ground running in 2025.

Schultz allows that Vikings DC Brian Flores could get into the mix with a strong interview, but that would go as strongly as possible against Caleb Williams’ stated desire for an offensive-minded head coach. It would also be, frankly, not smart considering Flores’ checkered history with Tua Tagovailoa and the Bears’ entire near future being staked on Williams’ arm. This has to be a play-calling head coach, and Johnson and McCarthy are both qualified in their own way. Johnson, of course, would be vastly preferable to McCarthy, even if you can make the case McCarthy has somehow ended up a bit underrated for his work in Dallas and Green Bay.

NFL Network reported last week that the Raiders have become “enamored” of Johnson, who has turned the Jared Goff-led Lions into one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL over the past couple years. Fox Sports announcer Tom Brady, who is also part owner of the Raiders, has reportedly been deeply involved in the Raiders’ head coaching search after Vegas parted ways with Antonio Pierce after a disappointing 2024 season. Johnson has been careful with his head coaching opportunities, so it’s far from a sure thing he’ll take the Vegas job.

Johnson has now completed interviews with the Patriots, Raiders and Bears. The 38-year-old offensive coordinator is also set to meet with the Jaguars Saturday. Johnson has been heavily linked to the Raiders of late, though it’s also been reported that he covets a quarterback, something the Raiders don’t have. He’s the sixth different candidate the Bears have interviewed so far joining Mike Vrabel, Anthony Weaver, Mike Kafka, Pete Carroll and Drew Petzing.

Schrager’s tweet comes on the heels of an Ian Rapoport article linking Johnson to the Raiders. The Raiders job comes with obvious drawbacks as Las Vegas is without a quarterback and in the same division as Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, though the team could be willing to pay top dollar for the Lions offensive coordinator. With the 38-year-old Johnson still set to interview with the Jaguars and Bears Saturday, these links to the Raiders could be setting up a leverage play for the Detroit coach who sat out the last two hiring cycles despite being one of the top candidates. It’s still possible that Johnson is actually interested in Tom Brady’s vision for the Raiders’ future, which could include Johnson having some say on who their next general manager would be.