Zac Taylor Tried to Hire Ben Johnson as a Defensive Coach? That’s One of the NFL’s Wildest What-Ifs
In a week full of headlines across the NFL, one story quietly slipped under the radar-but it’s the kind of behind-the-scenes moment that makes you stop and think: What could’ve been?
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor recently shared that he once tried to bring Ben Johnson-yes, that Ben Johnson, now the head coach of the Chicago Bears-onto his staff as a defensive coach after the 2020 season. That’s right. One of the league’s brightest offensive minds was almost coaching defense in Cincinnati.
At the time, Johnson was early in his rise through the ranks in Detroit. He’d been working as an offensive quality control coach with the Lions, then moved up to tight ends coach, and eventually made a name for himself as their offensive coordinator.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Bears tapped him to lead their franchise. Now he’s overseeing one of the more intriguing rebuilds in recent memory.
But let’s rewind to that pivotal moment. Had Taylor’s plan worked out, Johnson might have been wearing stripes instead of navy and orange-and doing it on the other side of the ball. That’s a fascinating alternate timeline, especially considering where both franchises have gone since.
Back in 2021, the Bengals were riding high. Lou Anarumo’s defense helped power a Super Bowl run, and the unit was a major factor again in the 2022 AFC Championship Game appearance. They had stars at every level of the defense and a swagger that made them one of the league’s most complete teams.
But things changed quickly.
By 2024, the Bengals’ defense had become a liability. Injuries, regression, and a lack of depth caught up with them.
The once-dominant unit couldn’t hold leads, couldn’t get off the field, and ultimately couldn’t help Cincinnati back to the postseason. Anarumo, once a hero in the Queen City, was let go.
Enter Al Golden. The former Notre Dame defensive coordinator was brought in for 2025 with the task of turning things around.
So far? It’s been a rocky ride.
The early part of the season saw more of the same issues: blown coverages, missed tackles, and a defense that couldn’t get stops when it mattered.
There was a flicker of promise on Thanksgiving-a performance that gave fans a reason to believe things might be trending up. But the overarching question still hangs in the air: What if Ben Johnson had come to Cincinnati?
Would he have stayed on the defensive side? Would his offensive acumen have eventually earned him a promotion there? Or would the Bengals have discovered a different version of the rising star we now see in Chicago?
It’s one of those rare NFL sliding doors moments. The Bengals found success with Anarumo, no doubt. But as they try to rebuild that identity on defense, it’s hard not to wonder how different things might look if Johnson had been part of the picture all along.
In a league where coaching hires can shape a franchise for years, this one missed connection might be more meaningful than anyone realized at the time.