The coaching vacancies around the NFL are getting filled quickly now that the Detroit Lions were knocked out of the NFL Playoffs. The two coordinators for Detroit, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, were viewed as the top two candidates on the market. Both were hired quickly this week, with Johnson to the Bears and Glenn to the Jets.
Johnson in particular was a hot commodity after the past two seasons. The Lions were the top-scoring team in the NFL this season, and they ranked fifth in the league last year.
The Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams first overall last season, and his rookie year did not go as well as he hoped. After Williams vocalized his opinion that he would want Johnson to be the coach, the Bears bent over backward in order to make sure it would happen. The result was them going all-in for Johnson.
Ben Johnson Contract is More Than Dan Campbell’s
Ben Johnson signed with the Chicago Bears quickly following the Lions’ loss to the Washington Commanders. After seeing his coaching contract, it’s easy to see why. It is reported that the Bears are paying Johnson $13 million per year to be the head coach. This is roughly $5M more than the average first-year head coach’s salary.
According to Sportico, Andy Reid is the highest-paid head coach in the NFL. In the offseason, the Chiefs gave Reid a five-year, $100M extension, meaning he makes an average of $20M per year.
Following Reid, the NFL coach contract rankings heading into 2024 were the following: Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton ($18M), Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin ($16M), Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh ($16M), Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay ($15M), San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan ($14M) and Baltimore Ravens’ John Harbaugh ($12M), per Front Office Sports.
Yes, this means Ben Johnson is getting paid one million dollars more than long-time head coach and Super Bowl champion John Harbaugh. Coming from Dan Campbell’s coaching staff, it is also interesting to see he is getting paid more than him. Campbell is currently paid $11M per year by the Detroit Lions.
It is certainly a lot of money to pay a young, zero-win head coach. What could go wrong?
