Ben Johnson, head coach of the Chicago Bears, made an impressive debut season in 2025, leading the team to an NFC North title and a playoff victory. His immediate success has sparked discussions about his standing among NFL's top coaches. While NBC Sports ranked him 13th, his achievements suggest he should be considered a top-10 coach, especially given his impact on quarterback Caleb Williams and the team's offensive improvements. Johnson's ability to swiftly turn around a struggling team and elevate its performance has positioned him as a rising star in the league. The challenge now lies in maintaining this momentum and continuing to build a legacy of success in Chicago.
Johnson's Stellar Debut Season and Coaching Rankings
In the exhilarating 2025 NFL season, Ben Johnson, in his inaugural year as the Chicago Bears' head coach, orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for the franchise. Under his astute leadership, the team not only clinched an NFC North title but also secured a significant playoff victory against the Green Bay Packers. This immediate and profound success ignited a fervent debate within the sports community: where does Johnson truly rank among the league's coaching elite?
Renowned sports outlet NBC Sports undertook the task of ranking all 32 NFL head coaches, placing Johnson at the 13th spot. In an accompanying analysis, writer Patrick Daugherty lauded Johnson's transformative influence. Daugherty highlighted Johnson's pivotal role in drastically reducing quarterback Caleb Williams' sack count from a concerning 68 to a much-improved 24. Furthermore, the team's offensive EPA (Expected Points Added) per play saw a dramatic leap, climbing from 26th in the league to an impressive seventh. The Bears' offense also experienced a significant boost in scoring, accumulating 131 more points than the previous season and finishing ninth in overall scoring, a substantial improvement from their 28th-place finish in 2024.
Daugherty also offered a forward-looking perspective on the challenges awaiting Johnson and the Bears in the 2026 season. He acknowledged the team's fortunate streak in 2025, where many victories were decided by a single score, or even a single point. Daugherty sagely remarked, "Regression comes for even the best players and coaches. The follow-up will be 10 times more difficult than the opening act." However, he expressed confidence in Johnson's capabilities, noting, "Johnson knows this, and as the rare offensive-minded coach who doesn't just call plays but sets the tone for all 53 of his players, he seems perfectly suited to keep leveling up." Daugherty concluded with an optimistic outlook, suggesting that Johnson is poised for even greater accomplishments in Chicago.
The competitive nature of the NFL dictates that coaches are often judged by their most recent performances. Daugherty himself emphasized that his coaching list serves as an "almanac," a current assessment of each coach's standing, considering their past achievements and future potential. Interestingly, three coaches ranked higher than Johnson on this list—Green Bay's Matt LaFleur (No. 10), Houston's DeMeco Ryans (No. 11), and Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell (No. 12)—did not secure a playoff win in the 2025 season. Given Johnson's superior postseason performance, there's a strong argument to be made for his inclusion in the league's top-10 coaches. With only one season under his belt, Johnson's trajectory suggests that continued success in Chicago will undoubtedly propel him further up the coaching hierarchy.
Johnson's immediate success with the Bears provides a compelling case study in effective leadership and strategic vision in professional sports. His ability to elevate both individual player performance and overall team dynamics in a short span speaks volumes about his coaching prowess. While rankings are subjective and can shift with each season, Johnson has laid a robust foundation for a promising coaching career. His focus on offensive innovation and his profound impact on Caleb Williams' development highlight the critical role of a head coach in shaping a team's destiny. As the NFL landscape constantly evolves, Johnson's journey will be closely watched, offering valuable insights into what it takes to build a winning culture and sustain excellence in one of the most demanding sports leagues in the world.
