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Bears' Ben Johnson disrespected in shocking NFL coaching ranking ahead of 2025

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 10:40 PM ET

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson was undoubtedly the biggest coaching hire of the 2025 NFL offseason. In fact, he was arguably the biggest coaching hire of the last several years, which is one of the main reasons why Bears fans are so excited about the upcoming season.

But Chicago wasn't the only team to hire a new head coach this year. Seven teams made coaching changes, which means seven fan bases have the same optimism that Bears Nation has; it's an obvious effect of change, especially at such a crucial role in an organization's hierarchy.

Each new head coach is entering their own unique set of challenges. Some have unsettled quarterback situations, while others will rely on defense while the offense undergoes an overhaul. But all of these new coaches -- like every coach in the NFL -- will be measured by the same metric: wins.

Johnson is expected to bring winning football back to the Bears as soon as this season. Let's face it, there's no reason not to expect Chicago to be at least a .500 team; that should be the worst-case scenario. At best, they're challenging for the NFC North crown once the calendar flips to December.

It's why a recent ranking of each new head coach's predicted win total in 2025 will frustrate Bears Nation. Johnson doesn't rank No. 1, or even No. 2. Instead, he ranks third among the new batch of HCs with a projected record of 9-8.

Surprisingly, Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders are second at 10-7, while Brian Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys are first at 11-6.

Look, I get that the Cowboys are America's Team, but they aren't winning 11 games in the NFC East, especially not with Schottenheimer at the helm. He was the least inspiring coaching hire of this year's cycle.

The Raiders, meanwhile, have drawn a surprising amount of praise for an offseason that hasn't been nearly as good as Chicago's. Geno Smith doesn't move the needle all that much, and while Ashton Jeanty was a fantastic first-round pick, it feels like a stretch to think Vegas can win 10 games in a division with the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Instead, Johnson and the Bears should've ranked first. It's not that they'll win more than nine games; it'll be tough to get to 10 wins in the NFC North. But if there's any roster that can push for 10 or 11 wins in a tough division, it's the Bears, not the Raiders or Cowboys.

Johnson is also the most innovative and exciting of the top three. There's no universe that exists that would predict a team led by Carroll or Schottenheimer should have a higher win projection than a team led by Johnson, especially when Johnson's squad -- top to bottom -- is better than those guys'.

Maybe this is another case of the Chicago Bears having to overcome a history of disappointment and letdowns before analysts can truly buy in. Perhaps it's because Johnson hasn't proven himself as a head coach yet in the NFL. Whatever the reason, don't sleep on Ben Johnson enjoying the most success out of all the new head coaches in 2025.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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