By Blessing 
Ben Johnson’s Bears Situation May Backfire — and the Lions Might Be Smiling About It.
As the Detroit Lions gear up for the 2025-26 NFL season, there’s an interesting storyline developing just a few hundred miles away — one that has a familiar face at the center of it.
Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator, is now settling into his new role as head coach of the Chicago Bears. After helping shape one of the NFL’s most exciting offenses in Detroit, Johnson made the leap to a head coaching position — and unfortunately for Lions fans, it had to be with a bitter division rival.
Understandably, there’s a mix of respect and resentment in Detroit. Johnson earned his shot, no doubt. But let’s be honest — watching him take over in Chicago doesn’t exactly feel great. Still, there’s a silver lining that Lions fans might quietly enjoy: The Bears might already be making moves that will make Johnson’s life much harder than it needs to be.
A Questionable Call from the Bears’ Front Office
While the buzz around Johnson is mostly positive — he’s being looked at as the guy who could finally unlock No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams — not everyone is convinced that he’s being set up for success.
Matt Sidney of SideLion Report didn’t hold back in his July 11 article, calling out a Bears front office decision that could make Johnson’s job significantly more difficult. That decision? Extending General Manager Ryan Poles’ contract through 2029 — a move that ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed.
Sidney described the extension as “absurd,” pointing to Poles’ track record and lack of progress over the past few seasons. The concern isn’t just about Poles himself, but what his continued leadership might mean for Johnson’s ability to steer the franchise in a new direction.
“It’s worth remembering this is the same front office that stuck with former head coach Matt Eberflus long past the point of diminishing returns, despite back-to-back seasons where the team looked completely out of sync,” Sidney wrote.
He went on to note that Johnson is now operating in “the same environment, under the same decision-maker, with the same problems still lingering beneath the surface.”
New Head Coach, Old Problems?
That’s the real issue. Johnson was brought in to represent change — a fresh mindset and a modern offensive identity that could breathe life into a franchise that’s long been stuck in neutral. But the extension of Poles, who many feel has failed to get the Bears out of their rut, suggests that not much may actually change behind the scenes.
Sidney added, “Johnson was supposed to be a breath of fresh air,” and the kind of coach who could “develop a No. 1 overall pick without interference.” Instead, he’s now “tied to a GM who’s spent the last three years chasing his own tail, squandering resources, and setting expectations he couldn’t meet.”
Even though the season hasn’t kicked off yet, the signs are already there — Johnson may be facing an uphill battle, not because of the talent on the field, but because of the power dynamics off it.
Good News for Detroit?
Now, from a Detroit perspective, that might not be the worst thing. If Johnson struggles in Chicago, the Bears stay irrelevant — and that’s a win for the Lions in the ultra-competitive NFC North. After all, with the Lions on the rise and building on a solid foundation, they have every reason to hope their division rivals don’t figure things out too quickly.
So while no one in Detroit is openly rooting for Johnson to fail, let’s just say they wouldn’t mind if the Bears continue to get in their own way.
In the end, Johnson may still prove to be a transformative figure in Chicago — but with the same old decision-makers calling the shots, he might find his fresh start limited before it even begins.