Something was clearly wrong with the Chicago Bears’ 2024 coaching staff. It led to Matt Eberflus becoming the first head coach in Bears history to be fired midseason. But head coach wasn’t the only point of disarray.
Once Ben Johnson was hired as head coach, he brought in a brand new staff. He focused on voices both young and old, giving him the guidance he’ll need as a first-time head coach and new ideas that will keep the Bears’ gameplan fresh.
General manager Ryan Poles has already taken notice. As he and the rest of Chicago prepare to welcome in Johnson and the new coaching staff, Poles has already acknowledged how different it is to the 2024 version, via Adam Hoge and Adam Jahns.
“Part of being a general manager is evaluating the evaluators. You have to understand how everybody sees the game,” Poles said. “That part’s really important, and fortunately for us, DA (Dennis Allen, defensive coordinator), Ben (Johnson, head coach), and Declan (Doyle, offensive coordinator) are all very good evaluators. I love their processes and how they communicate.”
“The communication aspect of what they’re looking for to fit the style of play, philosophy and the scheme that we have is important,” Poles continued. “We work through that and talk about it all the time, in terms of what we want to be and what our identity needs to be on top of the scheme When all of that comes together and you find players that check all those boxes, you feel even more convicted to be aggressive to get a player in.”
What went wrong with Chicago Bears 2024 staff
It all started with Eberflus. He held a 4-8 record at the time of his firing and just a 13-42 record overall. The Bears never made the playoffs under his tenure. And while he was a defensive coordinator before coming to Chicago, the Bears finished their 2024 campaign ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 yards per game. Eberflus can’t be faulted for the games he wasn’t there, but it’s not like Chicago was great then took a nosedive after his departure.
The defense was supposed to be ran by Alan Williams. However, he suddenly re-signed in the middle of the season. He was replaced by Eric Washington, but Chicago’s defensive woes persisted.
Offensively, things were even worse. Shane Waldron was hired over from the Seattle Seahawks to be Caleb Williams’ offensive coordinator. He was fired nine games into his tenure. The Bears ultimately finished dead-last in total offense, averaging just 284.6 YPG.
Chicago’s ex-coaching staff, and all the turnover that followed, certainly didn’t give Williams strong footing to stand on. It’s not a surprise the Bears decided to clean house.
New staff brings optimism
© David Banks-Imagn Images
Like it did with Eberflus, the Bears’ revival all starts with head coach. Johnson helped the Detroit Lions finish second in total offense during his final season with the team, averaging 409.5 YPG. The Lions were consistently strong offensively under Johnson, leading him to be considered one of the most coveted coaching candidates available in 2025.
Joining him in building Chicago’s offense will be new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Only 28-years-old, he is the youngest offensive coordinator in the entire NFL. However, he has been a long-time disciple of current Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. Furthermore, Doyle has gotten rave reviews from Johnson. He may not be a big name now, but the Bears clearly think highly of Doyle.
As they do of new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. His time with the New Orleans Saints ended in a thud, but he is still a respected defensive mind in the NFL. The Saints finished top-12 in total defense his first two seasons in New Orleans. Furthermore, Allen gives Johnson a veteran voice to lean on as he enters his first year as head coach.
Ultimately, Johnson will be the one running the show as the Bears will be built in his image. However, that also means the lights will be only brighter. While the challenge in front of him may be difficult, Johnson chose to come to the Windy City for a reason.
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