Bear Digest

Ben Johnson named top assistant coach for 2024 at NFL Honors

New Bears head coach Ben Johnson has been named the assistant coach of the year at NFL Honors in New Orleans.

Gene Chamberlain

New Bears coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive cooridnator, is the AP assistant coach of the year.
New Bears coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive cooridnator, is the AP assistant coach of the year. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Bears head coach has the big award for assistant coaches at NFL Honors night..

Ben Johnson's efforts as Lions offensive coordinator had already earned him the award from the Pro Football Writers of America and now he has the award from The Associated Press which is presented at Thursday night's program in New Orleans.

Johnson's Lions offense under head coach Dan Campbell was second in yards, first in first downs and first in scoring. They were sixth in rushing and second in passing.

Along the way, Johnson earned the reputation for his trick plays even tough the basis for his attack was the running game and the play-action pass.

When Johnson came to the Bears, he expressed thanks to Campbell.

"Dan Campbell is more than just a colleague to me," Johnson said. "He is a friend, he is a mentor, he is a man that trusted me when he didn’t need to and I will forever be in his debt and respect the heck out of him.

"He's an amazing person. One time someone told me he is a unicorn and they could not be more true words than that."

Johnson noted the accomplishments of his players as well.

"One of the hardest things to do is to leave a group of men that you love,” Johnson said. “I will forever be impacted by (Amon-Ra) St. Brown, (Jared) Goff, (Frank) Ragnow.

"I can keep going on and on and on. One of the reasons you get into coaching is to make the people around you better, but the truth is those group of guys, they made me a better coach and a better person. They inspired me every single day, and I loved driving into work to work with those men every single day.”

Johnson’s team averaged 33.22 points a game and 409.5 yards.

He was named over Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.

The announcement was made by NFL Network during the red carpet ceremony prior to the start of the program.

NFL Assistant Coach of the Year

2014 Todd Bowles, defensive coordinator, Arizona Cardinals

2015 Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator, Denver Broncos

2016 Kyle Shanahan, offensive coordinator, Atlanta Falcons

2017 Pat Shurmur, offensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings

2018 Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator, BEARS

2019 Greg Roman, offensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens

2020 Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills

2021 Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys

2022 DeMeco Ryans, defensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

2023 Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator, Cleveland Browns

2024 Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions

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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.