Meet Ben Johnson: Chicago Bears' Highly Paid New Coach

Ben Johnson, the new head coach for the Chicago Bears, is reportedly earning a whopping $13 million a year. This amount is higher than what some top NFL players like C. J. Stroud and Puka Nacua earn. In fact, it's nearly as much as Saquon Barkley's salary. Johnson comes in as the seventh-highest-paid NFL coach, just behind Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers and ahead of John Harbaugh of the Ravens. Experienced coaches like Andy Reid of the Chiefs and Sean Payton of the Broncos top the list. Johnson has some big shoes to fill, considering he has zero head coaching experience. As the offensive coordinator for the Lions from 2022-2024, he transformed their offense into one of the league’s best. However, he only has two playoff wins under his belt. Despite this, his reputation as an offensive mastermind made him a hot commodity among other teams. Johnson interviewed with the Patriots, Jaguars, and Raiders, with the Raiders initially being favorites to land him. This kind of salary for a first-time head coach seems steep, but Johnson’s success with Jared Goff in Detroit speaks for itself. Goff, who struggled his first year with Detroit, improved dramatically under Johnson. The Lions' record followed suit, moving from nine wins to 12, and then 15 wins over the next three seasons. Goff’s impressive performance under Johnson’s guidance has raised hopes for what he can do with Caleb Williams in Chicago.