With just a month left in the regular season, the NFL Coach of the Year conversation is heating up - and two names are leading the charge: Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson. Both have turned struggling franchises into legitimate contenders, and both are doing it with second-year quarterbacks who were top picks in the 2024 draft. But while Vrabel's work in New England has been nothing short of impressive, what Johnson is doing in Chicago deserves a serious look - especially considering the context.
Let’s start with Vrabel. The Patriots are sitting atop the NFL with an 11-2 record, and they’ve looked like a completely different team from the one that limped to the finish line last season.
Vrabel’s fingerprints are all over this turnaround. He’s brought a level of discipline and toughness that’s been missing in Foxborough, and he’s done it while mentoring rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who’s made huge strides under his guidance.
Of course, Vrabel isn’t new to this. He spent six seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, where he racked up 54 wins, three playoff appearances, and a Coach of the Year award in 2021.
That experience matters - and it’s showing. He knows how to manage a locker room, how to build a culture, and how to win tough games in December.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Ben Johnson is doing something very similar - without the benefit of previous head-coaching experience.
In his first year at the helm, Johnson has guided the Bears to a 9-3 record and the top of the NFC. That’s a massive leap for a team that won just five games a year ago.
And like Vrabel, he’s doing it with a young quarterback in Caleb Williams, who’s showing flashes of why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Johnson has built an offense that plays to Williams' strengths, and the Bears have responded with consistent, high-level football.
The parallels between the two coaches are striking. Both took over teams that were near the bottom of the standings.
Both are leading young quarterbacks through the growing pains of the NFL. And both have their teams firmly in the playoff hunt.
But what separates Johnson is that he’s doing it all in Year 1 - no prior head coaching experience, no learning curve, just results.
That’s not to take anything away from Vrabel. What he’s doing in New England is worthy of recognition. But when you factor in the expectations, the inexperience, and the rapid improvement in Chicago, Johnson’s case for Coach of the Year becomes hard to ignore.
Now, there’s still football left to play, and the next few weeks will be critical - especially for Johnson. The Bears have a tough stretch ahead, including two matchups with the Packers and a date with the Lions, who are very much in the Super Bowl conversation. If Chicago stumbles down the stretch and misses the postseason, that will absolutely impact the narrative.
But as things stand right now, Johnson has made a compelling case. He’s turned the Bears into a legitimate threat in the NFC, and he’s done it faster than anyone expected.
Coach of the Year? He’s earned his spot in that conversation - and depending on how December plays out, he might just finish at the top of the list.