If you walk into a bar in River North and shout the name "Abe Gibron," you’ll probably get a mix of confused stares from the tourists and a weary, knowing nod from the guy in the faded Mike Ditka sweater. That’s the life of a Bears fan. We live in the tension between the "Monsters of the Midway" myth and the cold, hard reality of a coaching carousel that has spun out of control more times than we care to admit.
Being one of the Chicago Bears head coaches is arguably the hardest job in American sports. Why? Because you aren't just competing against the Green Bay Packers or the Detroit Lions. You are competing against the ghost of George Halas and the shadow of 1985. It’s a heavy lift.
The Myth of the "Defensive Identity"
For decades, the Bears' front office operated under a singular, almost religious belief: defense wins championships. They hired defensive gurus like they were going out of style.
Take Matt Eberflus, for example. When he arrived from Indianapolis, he brought his "HITS" principle and a promise of disciplined, takeaway-heavy football. It sounded great on a PowerPoint. But the reality was a nightmare. Eberflus finished his tenure in late 2024 with a record of 14-32. He became the first coach in the 100-plus-year history of the franchise to be fired mid-season. His inability to beat the Packers—literally never doing it once—was the final nail.
✨ Don't miss: Bruins Hockey Score Today: Why That Win Over Seattle Matters More Than You Think
Honestly, the "defensive coach" obsession almost broke the franchise. While the rest of the league was evolving into a high-flying, pass-heavy arms race, Chicago was still trying to win games 13-10. It didn't work.
Ben Johnson and the Great Offensive Pivot
Everything changed on January 21, 2025.
The hiring of Ben Johnson wasn't just another coaching change; it was a philosophical surrender. For the first time, the McCaskey family stopped looking for the next Dick Jauron and started looking for a guy who could actually help a quarterback. They gave Johnson what many believe to be the richest contract for a first-time head coach in NFL history.
It paid off immediately.
In his first full season (2025), Johnson turned Caleb Williams from a "struggling rookie with a high sack rate" into a legitimate MVP candidate. The Bears didn't just win games; they looked modern. They won the NFC North with an 11-6 record. If you look at the stats, Johnson’s offense averaged over 27 points per game—a number that would have been unthinkable during the John Fox or Marc Trestman eras.
The Contrast in Leadership Styles
- George Halas: The Papa Bear. He coached four different stints. He didn't just lead the team; he basically invented the league.
- Mike Ditka: The Iron Mike. He’s the only one with a Super Bowl ring in the modern era, but his relationship with the front office was famously combustible.
- Lovie Smith: The "we get off the bus running" guy. He was the last coach before Johnson to truly have the team in consistent contention, finishing 81-63.
- Thomas Brown: The interim hero. He took over for Eberflus in late 2024 and won the season finale against Green Bay, finally breaking the "Packer Curse" and setting the stage for the Johnson era.
Why We Can't Stop Talking About 1985
It is the ultimate blessing and the ultimate curse. Every new hire among the long list of Chicago Bears head coaches is inevitably asked how they will recreate that magic.
But here is the nuance most people miss: The '85 team wasn't just about Buddy Ryan’s 46 Defense. It worked because Ditka provided a specific kind of swagger that the city identified with. When that swagger is missing—like it was during the quiet, almost clinical years of Dave Wannstedt or the confusing "practice champions" era of Marc Trestman—the city revolts.
Trestman is a fascinating case study in what not to do. He was brought in as a "quarterback whisperer" from the CFL. On paper, his first year was actually decent (8-8). But by year two, the locker room had completely dissolved. Veterans didn't respect him. The defense gave up 50 points in back-to-back games. It was a total collapse of culture.
✨ Don't miss: NFL Divisional Round and Premier League: What Football Game Come On Today
The Reality of the Win-Loss Column
If you look at the winning percentages, the history is a bit lopsided. Ralph Jones actually holds the highest winning percentage in team history at .706, though he only coached from 1930 to 1932.
In the modern era, if you aren't Mike Ditka or Lovie Smith, you're basically fighting for survival. Before Ben Johnson arrived, the post-Lovie era was a graveyard of ambition.
- Marc Trestman: 13-19
- John Fox: 14-34
- Matt Nagy: 34-31 (The double-doink year masks a lot of flaws here)
- Matt Eberflus: 14-32
It’s a brutal cycle. You get hired, you try to fix the quarterback, the defense regresses, and you get fired. Rinse and repeat.
What Actually Makes a Bears Coach Successful?
It isn't just X's and O's.
To survive in Chicago, a coach needs to understand the local psyche. This is a city that loves a "guy's guy." They want someone who looks like they could handle a blizzard on Lake Shore Drive without a coat. That’s why Ditka worked. That’s why, surprisingly, Ben Johnson has worked so well—he’s got a quiet, "obsession with detail" (as Cole Kmet put it) that fans have interpreted as blue-collar work ethic.
Johnson’s decision to hire Dennis Allen as his defensive coordinator was a masterstroke. It allowed Johnson to focus entirely on Caleb Williams while Allen maintained a top-10 defense. It’s the balance that eluded Matt Nagy and Matt Eberflus.
Looking Forward
We are currently in the most optimistic era of Bears football in twenty years. The "New-Look Bears" aren't just a marketing slogan anymore. With a franchise quarterback who finally has a coach that speaks his language, the 2026 season looks like a legitimate Super Bowl window.
If you’re tracking the progress of the current staff, keep an eye on the "middle-of-the-field" passing stats. Under previous regimes, that area was a "no-fly zone" for Bears quarterbacks. Johnson has opened it up.
Actionable Insights for the Obsessed Fan:
- Study the 2024-2025 Transition: Compare the "passing game coordinator" roles under Eberflus vs. Johnson. The difference in route spacing is where the games were won.
- Watch the Post-Game Pressers: Notice the accountability. Johnson tends to take the blame for play-calling errors, whereas previous coaches often pointed to "execution" or "fundamentals."
- Track the Green Bay Rivalry: The Bears' success is ultimately measured by their record against the Packers. The win in the 2024 finale under Thomas Brown was the turning point for the franchise's confidence.
- Evaluate the Staff Pedigree: Look at where Johnson’s assistants go. Thomas Brown is already a hot name for 2026 head coaching vacancies elsewhere, which is a sign of a healthy "coaching tree"—something Chicago hasn't had in a long time.