“He’s the Sharpest Football Mind Around”: How Ben Johnson’s Background Fueled His Ascent with the Bears
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Symbol of Resilienc On the porch of Ben Johnson’s childhood home, a framed sign featuring North Carolina Tar Heels logos reads, “Whatever It Takes.” It sits in a wicker chair, a fitting representation of both the region’s tenacity and the challenges it faces in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Johnson’s hometown is in the midst of rebuilding after the storm’s devastation. The Asheville airport recorded nearly 14 inches of rain between Sept. 25-27, while higher elevations in the Blue Ridge Mountains saw more than two feet. Busick, an hour away, measured almost 31 inches.
After being displaced for 111 days, Johnson’s parents, Don and Gail, moved back home on Jan. 15. Three fallen trees left a hole in the house large enough to fit a truck. Repairs are still ongoing. At nearby A.C. Reynolds High School—Johnson’s alma mater and where he led the Rockets to a 2002 state championship as quarterback—drinking water was only restored last month.
FEMA reported that Helene destroyed nearly 1,000 homes in western North Carolina, including 340 in Buncombe County, where Asheville is located. Over 9,000 residences suffered damage. Businesses shuttered. Jobs disappeared. In December, the Office of State Budget and Management estimated the damage at $59.6 billion.
Signs reading “AVLSTRONG” are displayed in storefronts and painted on car windows throughout Asheville. At Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Rev. Marcia Mount Shoop—wife of former Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop—has been actively assisting those in need of rent relief.
“Areas that didn’t flood have bounced back, but many people are still struggling,” said Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer. “Restaurant owners, for example, say things are slower. Staffing has been tough since many gig workers relocated and haven’t returned.”
She reflected on the community’s resilience: “During the disaster, people came together in incredible ways. There was no power, no water. Kids couldn’t go to school. But people helped one another in remarkable ways.”
Perhaps that same resilience is what propelled Johnson through the NFL ranks to become a head coach at 38, making him the second-youngest in the league, just behind the Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald, 37. Now, as the Chicago Bears seek lasting success, there’s a significant rebuild ahead at Halas Hall.
A Mind Built for Strategy
Gail Johnson first noticed her son’s deep passion for football when he was 9 or 10. Sharing a bedroom with his younger brother Kyle—who later played quarterback at MIT—Ben would leave scraps of paper covered in hand-drawn plays all over the room.
“I used to pick them up and put them away, sometimes throw them out,” Gail said. “Then he’d ask, ‘Did you find my plays?’ I quickly learned not to toss them.”
Ben’s father, Don, played defensive back at South Dakota State (1970-73) and later coached at Idaho State, where he helped the team win a Division I-AA national championship in 1981. He later became The Citadel’s offensive coordinator before deciding that college coaching didn’t align with family priorities. He transitioned to teaching and coaching high school football in North Carolina, while Gail became a special education teacher.
During his three-hour virtual interview with the Bears, Johnson spoke about balancing work and family life with his wife, Jessica, and their three children—Emory (8), Kennedy (5), and Halle (1). He credited his father’s influence in shaping his coaching philosophy, and his message resonated with Bears executives, who named him the franchise’s 19th head coach.
“My family is the biggest piece of the puzzle,” Johnson said at his introductory press conference, addressing Jessica. “You’ve been my rock. Asking you to take on this adventure was selfish, but you did it wholeheartedly, no questions asked.”
During his time with the Detroit Lions, Johnson prioritized family time. Even in the midst of the season, he made sure to be home by 4 p.m. on Fridays when Emory got back from school, dedicating the rest of the day to his children.
The Johnson family has long spent summers in Chicago. Kyle, now working in finance in New York, grew up fascinated by WGN’s broadcasts of Cubs day games. He and friends split four Cubs season tickets, and many summer days have been spent at Wrigley Field—the Bears’ home for 50 seasons.
‘He’s Just That Smart’
One of Bobby Poss’ favorite stories about Johnson isn’t about a game, but rather a moment before his sophomore season in 2001.
Poss, a five-time North Carolina state champion coach, needed a backup quarterback and asked Johnson to forgo starting on JV for a varsity No. 2 role. He suggested Johnson talk it over with his father.
“Most kids want to play,” Poss recalled. “Ben immediately said, ‘Coach, I already know. I’ll do whatever is best for the team.’”
Johnson got playing time that year and earned all-conference honors in his final two seasons, winning conference player of the year as a senior. Since Poss preferred a run-heavy offense, Johnson’s passing stats didn’t stand out to recruiters.
He received some interest from Ivy League schools, and Wofford showed late interest, but Johnson walked on at North Carolina in 2004. He eventually became the No. 3 quarterback and, by 2007, was responsible for signaling plays under offensive coordinator John Shoop.
“Ben was essentially my quarterbacks coach,” Shoop said. “I was adjusting to coaching 18-year-olds after my NFL years, and he was my right-hand man.”
Johnson lived all four years with linebacker Chase Rice—now a country music star. As upperclassmen, they shared a house with future Bears kicker Connor Barth and NFL offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds.
“We went on a cruise for spring break,” Rice recalled. “While we were partying, Ben won the grand prize playing Sudoku. He’s just that brainiac. I never imagined he’d become a head coach, but looking back, it makes sense. He was the smartest football mind in the room.”
Despite degrees in mathematics and computer science, Johnson didn’t initially see a path into coaching.
“I thought he’d create some billion-dollar AI tool,” Barth said. “But he found his passion in football and ran with it.”
Johnson first worked for 13 months at a Durham software company, writing code in a small office with 15 employees. However, he missed the relationships that football provided.
The Coaching Pivot
In 2009, Johnson’s coaching opportunity arrived when Boston College hired former North Carolina offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill. Johnson joined as a graduate assistant, then became tight ends coach in 2011.
“I never imagined he’d go into coaching,” Tranquill said. “But he was bright, diligent, and had great instincts. I knew he’d be successful.”
Joe Philbin, then assembling his Miami Dolphins staff in 2012, received a call from Barry Gallup, a longtime BC coach.
“Find a job for Ben Johnson,” Gallup urged.
Johnson landed a quality control assistant role, the NFL’s lowest entry-level coaching position. By 2015, he was coaching tight ends.
At one point, Johnson conducted an in-depth fourth-down analytics study for Philbin, long before advanced analytics were mainstream in the NFL. His research and presentation impressed the staff—especially future Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who has since made fourth-down aggressiveness a staple in Detroit.
By 2018, Johnson was Miami’s wide receivers coach under Adam Gase. But when the Dolphins fired Gase, Johnson was jobless with two kids to support.
“It was my darkest moment,” Johnson admitted.
For months, he stayed ready. Then, in 2019, Detroit’s Matt Patricia hired him as a quality control assistant. Johnson worked his way up, becoming tight ends coach, then passing game coordinator, and finally offensive coordinator, where he helped transform the Lions into a top offense.
Now, he’s tasked with leading the Bears, bringing the same intellect and resilience that shaped his journey from a small town in North Carolina to the NFL’s head coaching ranks.