Given the Bears’ abundance of wage cap house, talent place expertise and the presence of gifted rookie-contract QB Caleb Williams, it’s simple to see why they imagine their HC publish is probably the most fascinating amongst these which might be anticipated to be out there in 2025. Invoice Belichick, earlier than he made the stunning resolution to affix the school ranks, reportedly shared that view.
The attractiveness of the job in a vacuum is one factor, however a November report prompt that Johnson might keep away from the Bears resulting from perceived organizational dysfunction. Nevertheless, subsequent reviews famous that Johnson may indeed consider the Chicago gig, and in the present day, Tom Pelissero of the NFL Community said that the 38-year-old offensive guru is “intrigued” by the place and is prepared to take heed to the Bears’ pitch. As we had beforehand heard that Johnson is just not going to interview merely for the sake of interviewing, any summit he conducts with Bears brass would seemingly point out that he’s ready to simply accept the job if supplied.
Whereas the Bears have been mentioned to be prioritizing a “chief of males” sort of head coach over a candidate with a particular background, Johnson’s repute as an offensive mastermind is just not solely in step with the development in in the present day’s HC searches, however it will be particularly helpful to a staff seeking to unlock the potential of a blue chip prospect like Williams.
And, regardless of turning down what was usually considered a equally interesting publish with the Commanders within the 2024 hiring interval, Johnson reiterated that he needs to take a staff’s high job in some unspecified time in the future.
“I believe there’s a burning need in each man to seek out what he’s made out of and push the boundaries and see if he’s received what it takes,” Johnson mentioned, by way of Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “And so yeah, there’s a hearth there. Now, when that point is? I don’t know when that’ll be, however there’s actually a hearth there.”
When requested particularly about Williams, Johnson was complimentary however conceded that he had not likely studied the rookie’s tape.
“Hear, it’s been troublesome to sit down down and simply examine each throw however loads of crossover tape over the course of the 12 months and there’s no query this man’s gifted,” Johnson mentioned. “I bear in mind standing on the sideline final sport and simply you possibly can hear the ball whistle by you. He’s received fairly a fastball and has some creativity to him, can lengthen performs and is correct down the sphere as effectively. Like I mentioned, I haven’t actually dove in and might inform you rather more past that, however he’s been spectacular from afar.”
Whether or not Johnson lastly decides to maneuver on from Detroit will probably be maybe the highest query relating to the 2025 HC carousel. If he does, it appears the Bears will probably be firmly within the combine.
Curiously, Johnson – a UNC alum – was not contacted by the school to debate its head teaching emptiness, as Birkett notes in a separate piece. After all, that job went to Belichick, who will proceed his legendary profession because the Tar Heels’ skipper.
