Former QB has bizarre take on Ben Johnson becoming Caleb Williams’ next HC
Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was announced as the next head coach of the Chicago Bears.
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Dan Orlovsky thinks offensive-minded Ben Johnson is not a good fit for young Caleb Williams (Image via X)
All throughout the start of the offseason, the Chicago Bears head coaching position was what everyone kept an eye on. After multiple candidates heading in for interviews, the job finally landed in the hands of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Bears staff gave him and his family a huge round of applause at their facilities earlier. That applause shows the franchise is excited with what he can bring to the table. An offensive minded coach coming to bring the best out of their franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams is what they want.
They were likely intrigued by the incredible creativity and efficiency the Detroit Lions showed. That creativity could suggest Johnson has the ability to analyze and bring changes as per the need of the hour. However, not everyone is sold on his appointment, especially former Lions QB Dan Orlovsky.
Hiring coaches is a dice roll. We don’t have a lot of evidence in the NFL…. when a team has a young quarterback, and they go chase the offensive-minded head coach and it works. That’s what gives me a little bit of hesitation.
Dan Orlovsky said
While speaking on First Take, he added that recent history has shown that defensive minded coaches are better off when handling young quarterbacks. However, during his take, he mentioned the benefits the likes of Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Sam Darnold and Jared Goff have received from offensive minded coaches.
[When a team] has a young quarterback, and they go chase the offensive-minded head coach … that's what gives me a little bit of hesitation." 😳 @danorlovsky7 on Bears hiring Lions OC Ben Johnson as their new head coach 👀 pic.twitter.com/gpRGnTwBsN
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 21, 2025
Dan Orlovsky thinks the Bears should have gone with a proven defensive minded coach who brought along with him a stellar offensive coordinator. That would have helped the team handle both sides well and given Williams a better base to build on.
Ben Johnson has to fix Caleb Williams’ offensive line
Caleb Williams was the first overall pick of last season’s NFL Draft and was expected to lead a stud Chicago Bears team to the playoffs. They started decently and stood with a 4-2 record which gave fans the impression the team was fine.
But then onwards, they lost ten straight games. They managed to win the last one as most of the opposing starters sat on the bench. Throughout this tumultuous time, one major area of concern was the offensive line.
Opponents sacked Williams a league leading 68 times. That is even though GM Ryan Poles spent a lot of money in the past offseason trying to fix it. Heading into this offseason, that should be Ben Johnson’s first task. He knows from his Lions days what a stud offensive line can do.
Fix that, and the former USC star might start to show why there was so much hype surrounding him last season. If Johnson can give his QB that stability, Williams and the Chicago Bears might end up surprising many next season.
Related: Caleb Williams makes his feelings clear about new Bears head coach Ben Johnson
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Joseph Varghese
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