LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The NFC North is competitive as heck. Three of the division’s teams had double-digit wins in 2024, and all of them made the playoffs.

The Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers aren’t going anywhere, with each team employing a top-tier head coach and general manager that has set the franchises up for sustained success. That doesn’t seem like an ideal landing spot for a first-time head coach looking to establish himself with the only struggling team in the division.

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Not for Ben Johnson.

He welcomes the challenge of joining such elite company.

He made no secret of the fact the Bears were his top choice, both in his virtual interview with Chicago’s search committee and Wednesday in his introductory press conference.

 It took it a step further by saying he wanted to stay in the NFC North. He helped turn the Detroit Lions into a juggernaut during his three years as their offensive coordinator, and believes they’ll continue collecting wins. Vikings and Packers are also in great shape, as Johnson knows well.

“I wanted to stay in this division,” Johnson said on Wednesday in his introductory press conference. “I know this is the toughest division in football right now. There are three teams that made the playoffs this year. I’ve got tremendous amount of respect for the coaches and the players in this league.

“I’ve been competing against them for the last six years, Dan Campbell, Kevin O’Connell — talk about two guys who are up for coach of the year awards as the season ends here. And, to be quite frank with you, I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”

That last line will surely stoke one of the most passionate rivalries in American sports. The Packers have owned the Bears recently save a Week 18 Bears victory to close out the 2024 campaign.

If Johnson can turn the tide against Green Bay, that will endear him to the Bears fan base. So will his ability to compete within the NFC North.

Johnson said he wants to compete against the best, and the division will give him a chance to do that. This is definitely the best collection of coaches in the league.

“Anything fulfilling, it’s a hard road, and it’s a long road, and I’m very well aware of that,” Johnson said in an exclusive interview with Marquee Sports Network. “I know it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s one that I’m up for. I have a lot of respect for everybody around from Detroit to Minnesota to Green Bay. But the competitor within me wants the best. I want to see how I stack – I want to see how this locker room stacks up against the best. We want everyone’s best shot each and every week.”