Since Ben Johnson was hired as head coach, he has been busy filling out the rest of his coaching staff.
Here’s a look at some of the impact hires Chicago has made thus far:
Defensive Coordinator – Dennis Allen
Probably the most established of the group, Allen comes in with a plethora of experience.
Allen has spent 30 years coaching at the collegiate and professional levels. In the NFL, he has spent time with Atlanta (2002-2005), New Orleans (2006-2010), Denver (2011), Oakland (2012-2014), and New Orleans (2015-2024).
Allen was recently promoted to head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2022 and led the Saints to an 18-25 record in two and a half seasons. Allen was fired following a Week 9 loss in the 2024 season.
Despite the team’s overall struggles in New Orleans, Allen, who had been the defensive play-caller since 2015, turned around the defense. When Allen took over, he inherited a defense that ranked 28th overall in points allowed and 31st in yards out of 32 NFL teams. From 2017-23, Allen never had a defense finish outside the top 17 in either category, and from 2020-22, they were a top 10 unit in both.
Not only is Allen’s resume as a successful coordinator intriguing, but by providing head coaching experience, he can also help Ben Johnson’s transition to head coach.
Offensive Coordinator – Declan Doyle
If there’s one name that average NFL fans may not recognize, it’s Doyle.
At 28 years old, Doyle becomes the youngest active coordinator in the NFL. Doyle previously served as the Denver Broncos tight end’s coach for the past two seasons. This will be his first job as a coordinator. While that may be worrisome for Bears fans who have had a rocky relationship with offensive coordinators over the past few seasons, it’s not a cause for concern.
It’s been clear since day one that head coach Ben Johnson will be the offensive play-caller for Chicago.
So, what does Doyle bring to Chicago?
Having never been in a coordinator role before, it’s hard to say exactly. However, it’s important to note that Doyle was an offensive assistant in New Orleans with Sean Payton before his stint in Denver. The fact Payton trusted him enough to bring him over to Denver speaks volumes.
One thing to know about Sean Payton is that his quarterbacks don’t get sacked very often. Last year, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was sacked just 24 times. Compare that to Caleb Williams‘ 67 sacks taken, and that’s a pretty stark difference. If Doyle can help Williams take fewer sacks, his impact will be monumental for Chicago’s offense.
Most importantly, there’s nothing to point to that would suggest Doyle is a bad coach. He’s learned from one of the great offensive minds over the last five seasons and was trusted enough to follow Payton to Denver.
Running Backs Coach – Eric Bieniemy
Much like Dennis Allen, Eric Bieniemy has extensive coaching experience under his belt.
Most notably, Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City from 2018 to 2022. While there, he helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls (2018 and 2022). In his first season as coordinator, the Chiefs led the NFL in points scored and yards per game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also won two Most Valuable Player Awards while Bienemy was in Kansas City.
While never hired, Bienemy has been interviewed 17 times for a head coaching position because of his success in Kansas City. This isn’t his first running backs coaching gig. Before becoming the offensive coordinator for the Chiefs, Bieniemy served as the running backs coach from 2013 to 2017. He has also held this position with UCLA (2003-05) and the Vikings (2006-09).
It’s not often you get a coach of this caliber with this experience to come as an assistant coach. The hope for Bieniemy is that he can bring his experience to a relatively young staff and make an immediate impact.
The Bears’ run game in 2024 left much to be desired, and Bieniemy’s expertise should bring some new life to the unit in 2025.
Chicago looks to rewrite their dismal history with a fresh coaching staff.
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