Ben Johnson made an instant impact for the organization in his first year as the Chicago Bears' head coach, but where does Johnson rank among the other head coaches in the league.
Ben Johnson's first season as the Chicago Bears head coach ended with an NFC North title and a playoff win over the Green Bay Packers.
The 2025 season set the bar high for Johnson as he continues his head coaching career in Chicago.
With Johnson's immediate success and turning around a team that struggled for relevancy within its own division, Johnson has positioned himself among the top coaches in the NFL.
But how far up on the coaching hierarchy should Johnson be ranked?
NBC Sports ranked all 32 head coaches, and Johnson came in as No. 13.
In the explanation for Johnson, writer Patrick Daugherty highlighted how Johnson helped quarterback Caleb Williams reduce his sack total from 68 to 24 and the offensive EPA per play improved from 26th in the NFL to seventh. The offense also scored 131 more points than last season and finished ninth in scoring after being 28th in 2024.
Daugherty also mentioned what Johnson and the Bears could face in the 2026 season.
"They were lucky in 2025, living off one-score, and even sometimes one-point, victories," Daugherty wrote. "Regression comes for even the best players and coaches. The follow-up will be 10 times more difficult than the opening act. Johnson knows this, and as the rare offensive-minded coach who doesn’t just call plays but sets the tone for all 53 of his players, he seems perfectly suited to keep leveling up. You should never speak too soon in the NFL — Chip Kelly, et. al say hello — but it sure seems like it won’t take long for Johnson to accomplish even greater things in Chicago."
Like many professions and especially in the NFL, this is a what have you done for me lately league. Daugherty noted that he treats his coaching list "more of an almanac, an assessment of where the league’s 32 coaches find themselves right now. How they got here and where they might be going."
The three coaches who are ranked ahead of Johnson on this list, none of them won a playoff game in 2025: Green Bay's Matt LaFleur (No. 10), Houston's DeMeco Ryans (No. 11) and Minnesota's Kevin O'Connell (No. 12).
Where Johnson finished last season is in a better position than the three coaches mentioned, which should make Johnson a top-10 coach in the league. Even though the Bears' head coach has just one season under his belt, Johnson can continue to move up the head coach rankings if he stacks more successful seasons during his time in Chicago.