Bears' connection with Saints' staff results in defensive line hire

Former Saints defensive line coach Bill Johnson, who coached with Dennis Allen in the past, has reportedly been hired as Bears defensive line coach.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (left) and new defensive line coach Bill Johnson with Saints DT Tyelor Davison in 2016.
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (left) and new defensive line coach Bill Johnson with Saints DT Tyelor Davison in 2016. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The Bears' coaching staff construction project took a different turn Thursday when they found help in the XFL.

Birmingham Stallions defensive line coach Bill Johnson is their new defensive line coach, a position Travis Smith held under Matt Eberflus. Johnson had been with the XFL since 2022 and had been with the Houston Roughecks, as well. Houston area NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reported the signing.

There's more to this than the XFL, as it's a case of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen bringing on board another former New Orleans coach.

Johnson was the Saints defensive line coach from 2009-16 before going on to be the defensive line coach for the L.A. Rams for two seasons when they made the Super Bowl prior to going to LSU for three years.

Johnson was also the defensive line coach for the Falcons from 2001-06 and for the Denver Broncos in 2007-08.

The 69-year-old coach was in college football from 1980-99, including a stint from 1992-99 at Texas A&M. It was at A&M where Allen first worked with Johnson. Allen was a grad assistant coach there from 1996-99 before he went on to Tulsa for two years.

Johnson coached All-Pro linemen. Aaron Donald, Cam Jordan, Rod Coleman, and Patrick Kerney.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.