Trio of former NFL players who are quickly rising up the coaching ranks join Ben Johnson's staff with the Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are set to enter into a new era after hiring Ben Johnson to be the team's next head coach.Even as well sought after as Johnson was over the last three cycles, being a first-year head coach always comes with some levels of concern.The ones that usually stick around survive by surrounding themselves […]
The Chicago Bears are set to enter into a new era after hiring Ben Johnson to be the team's next head coach.
Even as well sought after as Johnson was over the last three cycles, being a first-year head coach always comes with some levels of concern.
The ones that usually stick around survive by surrounding themselves with a solid staff, and that's exactly what Johnson is starting to put together in Chicago.
During his introductory press conference, Johnson emphasized the importance of experience when determining who to hire as his assistants for his first career coaching staff as a head coach.
"After we get through this initial madness, if you will, we can get going on the coaching staff that's going to be a critical part of our success," Johnson explained. "I really believe that we're going to be able to find some great candidates out there that want to come to Chicago for a number of reasons, but they will be able to help guide and show me the way."
Just a few days later, Johnson has started building his staff and the hires he made so far proves that experience comes from multiple different avenues.
So far, Johnson has added three new members to his coaching staff and all three are former NFL players who are quickly rising up the coaching ranks. Al Harris has agreed to be the Bears' passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Antwaan Randle El will be the new assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, and J.T. Barrett will be the new quarterbacks coach.
All three coaches are more than deserving of the coaching promotions with the Bears and will offer incredible value to Johnson's staff.
Harris was someone I pinned earlier this week as a potential future defensive coordinator and previously worked with the Dallas Cowboys since 2020 under head coach Mike McCarthy. Harris previously played 14 years in the NFL including seven seasons in Green Bay with McCarthy as his head coach. In Dallas, Harris coached a defensive back group led by Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland, who each posted career seasons under his guidance. Harris also overlapped on the Miami Dolphins' coaching staff with Johnson as assistants in 2012.
Randle El joins the Bears after previously working with the Lions alongside Johnson under Dan Campbell. In Detroit, Randle El worked with the wide receiver room aiding in the development of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Randle El played nine years in the NFL including winning a Super Bowl in 2005 with the Steelers.
Barrett will also be joining Johnson and Randle El in the jump from Detroit to Chicago. The Lions hired Barrett in 2022 as an offensive assistant before promoting him to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2023. Barrett also had a key role in helping design some of the Lions' trick plays that Johnson added to the playbook. As a player, Barrett shined at Ohio State but went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. He bounced around four different professional teams before deciding to make the transition into a coach.
So far, this staff is looking insanely good for the team's first-year head coach. For those worried about the true coaching experience factor, just wait. Johnson will likely find some more experienced candidates to fill in the three coordinator positions, and already has some solid names lined up to meet for the job.
