Ben Johnson Leads Bears to Playoffs - With a Little Help from His Old Team in Detroit
When Ben Johnson left Detroit to take the head coaching job in Chicago, it stirred up plenty of emotion on both sides of the NFC North. In Detroit, some fans were quick to downplay the loss, confident the Lions could keep rolling without the architect of their high-powered offense. In Chicago, the mood was the polar opposite - a fan base energized by the arrival of one of the league’s brightest young minds.
Fast forward to Week 16, and Johnson’s Bears just punched their ticket to the postseason - and the irony is hard to ignore. Chicago took care of business against Green Bay, setting up a scenario where a Lions loss would clinch a playoff berth for the Bears.
And that’s exactly what happened. Detroit fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers, sealing Chicago’s spot in the playoffs.
It’s a full-circle moment for Johnson, who now has the Bears heading to the postseason in his first year at the helm - a feat that seemed ambitious when the season began. Forget the modest expectations of an 8- or 9-win campaign. Johnson has Chicago thinking bigger, and with good reason.
The Bears have built a top-five offense under his leadership - a unit that’s not just explosive, but efficient and adaptable. And they’re pairing that offensive firepower with a defense that leads the NFL in takeaways, creating a complete team identity that’s tough to game-plan against.
Meanwhile, the Lions - once seen as a rising NFC powerhouse - are reeling. That loss to Pittsburgh didn’t just sting; it left Detroit clinging to playoff hopes by a thread. Their postseason chances now sit at a slim six percent, and the momentum they carried into the season has all but vanished.
Yes, Detroit’s offense is still statistically among the league’s best, but it’s clear they’re missing the edge that Johnson brought to the table. The creativity, the situational mastery, the ability to adapt on the fly - it’s what helped make the Lions dangerous, and it’s now driving Chicago’s resurgence.
And of course, there’s the quarterback factor. Chicago has Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick who’s showing flashes of becoming a franchise cornerstone. That’s a luxury Detroit doesn’t have, and it’s another reason why the Bears’ ceiling suddenly looks a lot higher.
As for Johnson, he’s now firmly in the conversation for NFL Coach of the Year - right alongside names like Mike Vrabel. He’s taken a team that was trying to find its footing and turned it into a playoff contender in just one season. That’s not just impressive; it’s transformative.
The Bears are playoff-bound. The Lions?
They’re staring at a long offseason unless something miraculous happens. And while Detroit fans may not want to hear it, the coach they once had is now leading a division rival into January football - with a little help from the very team that let him go.