Ben Johnson is prepared to lose staffers to promotions elsewhere.
On Wednesday, two Bears position coaches took steps toward that end.
Running backs coach Eric Bieniemy took the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator job, reuniting with coach Andy Reid and taking the place of former Bears coach Matt Nagy, who is interviewing for head-coaching and coordinator jobs elsewhere.
Defensive backs coach Al Harris interviewed for the Packers’ defensive coordinator job. Harris played cornerback in Green Bay from 2003 to ’09, going to two Pro Bowls. Packers coordinator Jeff Hafley was named the Dolphins’ coach this week.
Under Bieniemy, the Bears finished third in the league in rushing. Under Harris, they led the NFL in interceptions.
Johnson said Wednesday that a few NFL teams had put in coaching interview request slips for members of his staff. He called his employees a “five-star staff,” saying it was rare for head coaches to find the right mix in Year 1 the way he did.
“I see future head coaches on this staff,” he said. “I see future coordinators. I see these young coaches being future position coaches. I see that across the board. So when you have success and you win games, normally that’s what happens. …
“And I’m all for it, man. I want these guys to continue to ascend; anything I can do to help them out. I think they all know I’m more than willing to do that.”
The last time the Bears had a season-ending news conference this chill, Caleb Williams was in grade school.
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“It’s no different than if you’re trying to lose weight,” Johnson said. “If you’re trying to lose 50 pounds, the first 30 is the easiest. The last 20, that’s the hard part. So we did a nice job this year, but it’s not enough. We have to do more.”
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The team’s brain trust reviews the 2025 season and looks to the future.
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