Bears hire former Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson |
Ben Johnson has been busy the past week as the coaching hires have been coming off the board. It has reached the point where there is one hire daily, which is good. Not only does that show his eagerness to have his staff finalized sooner rather than later, but it also shows that coaches want to be a part of something special and join his staff.
After it was reported early Thursday morning that Press Taylor was being added to the staff as the Passing Game coordinator, Johnson made his next hire as former New Orleans Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson is coming to the Windy City to handle the same role. In an era where connections matter just as much as coaching experience, Johnson has plenty of experience with Dennis Allen as they coached together during their time in New Orleans. When you talk about diverse coaches, Bill Johnson is one of those names that come to mind as he has bounced all over the professional football ranks, and at 69 years old, he brings more than 40 years of coaching experience. That type of experience isn't something you tend to find at any level, so to see that in an assistant coach, let alone one with as much knowledge as he has on the defensive line, is worth noting. Before landing the defensive line coach gig with the Bears, Johnson played a significant role for the Birmingham Stallions. As their defensive line coach in 2024, he helped set the tone for another UFL Title. Johnson has become accustomed to working in the UFL, having spent the 2023 season with the Houston Roughnecks and was with the Stallions before that in 2022. Not only does Johnson have Spring League experience, but he also has plenty of college experience, where he started his coaching career in 1980 as part of the Northwestern State staff. After spending five seasons with them, Johnson moved on to McNeese State for two seasons before diving into the big schools with the University of Miami in 1987. From there, staying in one place was a constant struggle as Johnson landed jobs with Louisiana Tech, LSU, Arkansas, and Texas A&M before eventually breaking into the NFL as a member of the Atlanta Falcons staff. Over the next five seasons, Johnson served as the defensive line coach in Atlanta before moving to the Mile High City to take the same position. He would eventually latch on with the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams before stepping away from the NFL for seven years. The New Orleans Saints connection stands out the most, as he served as their defensive line coach from 2009-2016. During his tenure in the Big Easy, Johnson crossed paths with the new defensive coordinator, Dennis Allen, as the two had a strong working relationship for several years. That should come in handy this season, as Johnson is one of those coaches who knows how Allen thinks and what is expected of him. Not only does having a guy like Johnson and his experience come in handy, but he has also been a part of winning, which is what this organization needs. Along with his multiple Spring League Championships with Birmingham, Johnson was also part of the LSU National Championship team in 2019 and won the Superbowl with the Saints in 2009. In other words, Johnson knows how to coach his guys up to put them in winning situations and has done a great job getting the most out of his players. Any time you have the resume and coaching tenure that he has had, you're bound to cross paths with several great players, which is no different for Johnson. From the likes of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh in Los Angeles to having Cameron Jordan, Will Smith, and Akiem Hicks as some of his other playmakers, Johnson is no stranger to having great defenders anchoring the defense. While the Bears may not have those names, they have Montez Sweat, who could work wonders with Johnson. The Bears also have one of the best secondaries in the NFL. For them to play at their full potential, Johnson and Allen will need to generate more quarterback pressures next season. This is another excellent hire by Ben Johnson, who is pulling out all the stops to build an incredible staff.
