Ben Johnson: From Madden Player to NFL Head Coach
Ben Johnson, born in 1986, experienced the golden age of the Madden franchise growing up. His style of coaching often mirrors the dynamic gameplay found in video games—bold fourth down decisions, complex passing strategies, and an affinity for agile quarterbacks. When asked last season if he played Madden as a kid, a grin crept across his face.
He shared, “I always liked taking the bad teams in franchise mode and trying to build them up from there.”
Now, he’s living the dream of many who, like myself, learned about football through games like Madden. Being just a year younger than Johnson, I can relate—I spent countless hours as a teen simulating Madden seasons, making trades, managing budgets, and drafting players instead of, well, socializing. I even created a lengthy 500,000-word series during the pandemic about turning Western Illinois into a powerhouse in College Hoops 2K8, a game that came out when Johnson was a senior in college.
Johnson became well-known as one of the NFL’s brightest offensive strategists while coordinating for the Detroit Lions. He had a chance to be head coach for the Washington Commanders during the 2024 offseason but chose to stay with Detroit for another year. This decision led the Chicago Bears to hire him a year later, especially after a turbulent year under Matt Eberflus that spotlighted the team’s mismanagement during Caleb Williams’ rookie season.
Since stepping into his new role, Johnson has been a significant asset for the Bears. On Monday night, he solidified his status as one of the league’s top coaches by guiding the team to an unexpected 27-7 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles with a third-string quarterback.
Heading into that game, one major discussion point was that Johnson had never called plays for a quarterback who wasn’t the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. Coming off a tough 9-3 loss against the Minnesota Vikings, where Brian Flores’ aggressive defense rattled him, he was now facing the challenge of playing without Williams due to a hamstring injury. Additionally, backup Tyson Bagent was knocked out in the previous game, leaving Johnson to turn to Case Keenum, who is only 21 months younger than him and hadn’t started a game since 2023.
Many anticipated the Bears would focus on the running game. Instead, Johnson had Keenum throwing right from the first snap, starting with passing plays on the first two downs, followed by a bold fourth down call that resulted in a pass completion to rookie Sam Roush. The Bears scored on their first drive, with a clever shovel pass to Luther Burden. It set a thrilling tone, with Keenum finishing the game with 247 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air, and another one rushing.
Keenum has received ample praise for his comeback performance, but he knows who really deserves the accolades.
“Ben Johnson was cooking tonight,” he noted in a post-game interview. “He was in his bag.”
The key to Keenum’s success was his quick releases. His average time to throw was 2.28 seconds, significantly below the league average, even against an Eagles defense known for pressuring quarterbacks. After looking unready against the Vikings’ pass rush, the Bears’ offensive line held strong, allowing Keenum to snap off throws whenever opportunities arose.
Keenum’s rushing touchdown exemplified Johnson’s creativity as a coach. He employed a play called the “sucker sneak,” made famous by Mike Martz during the 2002 Super Bowl, where both guards pull out wide and the quarterback lunges forward. Executing this with any quarterback is challenging, but pulling it off with a 38-year-old feels almost like magic.
By hiring Johnson, the Bears secured their first great head coach since Mike Ditka was let go in 1993. Beyond that, they found a leader capable of stabilizing the entire organization. Despite being family-owned, with descendants of George Halas at the helm, the team has struggled with football decisions. For too long, the franchise was effectively run by an accountant, which permeated dysfunction throughout the organization. The Bears have long faced challenges aligning their general manager, head coach, and quarterback, leading to persistent turnover and confusion at critical positions.
Johnson took the Bears job primarily because Caleb Williams was already part of the team. His presence has been a boon for the franchise. While Johnson and Williams have improved the team’s performance, the organization itself continues to flounder off the field, ineffectively pursuing a new stadium amid empty threats of relocating to Indiana and a series of failed self-imposed deadlines. Team president Kevin Warren has become something of a joke. The only person in the franchise with real know-how is Johnson.
Without Johnson, it’s likely the Bears would still be struggling in obscurity. With him, they’re envisioning record-breaking scoring, Super Bowl victories, and a new era in offensive football for Chicago. Johnson has expressed comfort in making this his last coaching role. In an ideal scenario, he might stay for decades, achieving the longevity usually reserved for the game’s true legends.
He demonstrated his coaching prowess by leading the Bears to the playoffs in his first year. On Monday, he proved his brilliance extends beyond merely having a standout quarterback. It genuinely feels like he’s transforming the Bears from the bottom ranks, just as he envisioned while playing on his PlayStation more than two decades ago. The Bears are fortunate to be the team for his most meaningful simulation yet.
