If you told Detroit Lions fans a year ago that Ben Johnson would be coaching the Chicago Bears into the playoffs, while Detroit sat at home, nobody would’ve believed you. Yet here we are. Johnson’s first season in Chicago has flipped the NFC North upside-down, and now his success may come full circle… in a way that could actually help the Lions.
According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Bears are bracing for a coaching staff raid this offseason. And that matters a lot to Detroit.
Because while the Lions lost Johnson and Aaron Glenn last offseason, the tables may now be turning.
The Bears May Lose Key Assistants… Just Like Detroit Did
Johnson didn’t do this alone in Chicago, and teams around the league know it. Jones reports that multiple Bears assistants are expected to draw serious coordinator interest, including:
- Declan Doyle — Offensive Coordinator
- Doesn’t call plays but has been under Johnson’s wing all season
- Still under 30 and already viewed as a rising star
- Press Taylor — Pass-Game Coordinator
- Revitalizing his career outside Doug Pederson’s shadow
- J.T. Barrett — Quarterbacks Coach
- Former Ohio State star who’s quickly climbing the coaching ladder
- Eric Bieniemy — Running Backs Coach
- Two-time Super Bowl–winning OC
- Reestablishing his value while leading a backfield that’s already topped 2,100 scrimmage yards
Chicago can block teams from interviewing Doyle, but they cannot stop the league from coming after the others.
And that’s where things get interesting for Detroit.
Dan Campbell May Look to Poach From Ben Johnson’s Own Staff
Jones reports that league sources expect Dan Campbell to be in the market for a new offensive coordinator, and that one of the most logical pipelines runs straight through Chicago.
Yes… the same pipeline the Bears used to take Johnson from Detroit.
Call it ironic. Call it full-circle. Call it football karma.
But if Campbell taps into Johnson’s staff?
- Detroit regains schematic creativity
- The Lions weaken a division rival
- And they do it using the tree Johnson built because of Detroit in the first place
That’s how the NFL works. Today’s rising staff becomes tomorrow’s coaching farm system.
And if the Bears get picked apart like the Lions did last year?
Well… Detroit fans know firsthand how big of a blow that can be.
Why This Matters for the Lions in 2026
The Lions don’t just need “a coordinator.”
They need the right voice, with:
- Modern pass-game structure
- QB-friendly design
- Run-game synergy
- Red-zone organization
- And big-moment composure
Sound familiar?
Yeah, that’s what Ben Johnson brought to Detroit.
And if Campbell can grab one of Johnson’s protégés, he may recover some of what the Lions lost… while nudging the Bears backward in the process.
That’s not just replacing talent.
That’s strategic roster-building for the coaching staff.
Bottom Line
The Bears rose fast under Ben Johnson, but the NFL doesn’t let good staffs stay together for long. If Chicago gets raided the way Detroit did last offseason, the Lions could finally catch a break.
And if Dan Campbell pulls one of those assistants to Detroit?
It wouldn’t just fill a hole.
It would flip the script on the very coaching movement that helped derail the Lions in the first place.
Sometimes in the NFL…
The shoe really does end up on the other foot.
Don Drysdale
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