The Detroit Lions came up short of expectations in 2025, and a large reason was the departures from their coaching staff. While the players on the field ultimately decided their fate, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2022, so did losing several key figures, including offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Watching Johnson have immediate success with the rival Chicago Bears was another layer of pain added to the Lions’ year. But the pendulum could swing back in their favor after Chicago’s season ended with a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Kansas City Chiefs have requested to speak with Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy for their offensive coordinator position. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini added that the expectation is he’ll get the job. With Bieniemy appearing to be out the door, it’s a little bit of revenge for Lions fans to see how Johnson responds.
Ex-Lions HC Ben Johnson Is Getting a Taste of His Own Medicine
Johnson didn’t just accept a job with one of the teams the Lions face twice a year; he took several of his assistants with him to Chicago. Antwaan Randle El (wide receivers coach) and J.T. Barrett (assistant quarterbacks coach) joined Johnson as he took the Bears head coaching job last winter, and it left the Lions scrambling to find replacements going into the 2025 season.
With a similar storyline playing out with former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who took Tanner Engstrand (passing game coordinator), Steve Heiden (tight ends coach), and former cornerbacks coach Dre’ Bly with him as he accepted the New York Jets, the Lions lacked a sense of rhythm with John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard as offensive and defensive coordinators.
Morton only lasted one season in Detroit after the offense failed to live up to expectations and Sheppard could only be in line for a short-term stay after interviewing for the Miami Dolphins’ head coaching vacancy earlier this month.
While Sheppard is expected to stay in Detroit for 2026, it shows just how quickly things can change when you’re at the control of a successful team in the NFL. The team can be loaded with talent, like the Lions were with Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Aidan Hutchinson, among others, at the front of the roster, but losing members of a staff has a lasting impact that lingers into the following season.
For Johnson, Bieniemy could be the beginning of the “brain drain.” Defensive backs coach Al Harris has been considered for several defensive coordinator openings in recent weeks, while passing game coordinator Press Taylor has been considered for offensive coordinator positions. QB coach J.T. Barrett and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle could also look for higher-profile jobs, leaving Johnson with plenty of work to do heading into the offseason.
Lions fans may find a sense of humor in Johnson dealing with the same thing HC Dan Campbell dealt with one year ago. But it will be interesting to see how the Bears respond if some of the rumored moves come to fruition and if it makes Chicago’s dream season become a blip on the radar.