Ben Johnson has yet to step foot inside Halas Hall.

The respected offensive coordinator and most popular name on the coaching market conducted a virtual interview with general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears search committee during the Lions’ postseason bye week. That’s it.

They didn’t need to keep talking. The Bears knew who they wanted to hire.

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Then Detroit got upset by Washington in the divisional round and, less than two days later, Johnson was in line to become the next Bears head coach. Chicago wasn’t Johnson’s only option. He was coveted by the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. There was an opportunity to visit those teams in person, a few of them anyway, but it was clear that the Bears were pushing hard to land the plane.

Quite possibly with a great big fat check to help lure him to Chicago.

A Saturday story that the Bears called about a possible interview and trade for Mike Tomlin was an overall blip on the coaching radar. It was also a clue. The Steelers turned that request down, but it was a sign the Bears were willing to pay big for a head coach, considering Tomlin doesn’t come cheap, reportedly making $16 million per year.

Then came news after midnight on Sunday morning that Eddie George would be interviewing in person with the Bears, satisfying the Rooney Rule and paving the way for the Bears to make their push.

They made it on Monday, and Johnson agreed to join the Bears. It happened that fast, before Johnson took a tour of his options.

The Bears have more than money. They have a super-talented quarterback in Caleb Williams, last year’s No. 1 overall pick. They have top-tier skill players. They have roughly $54.5 million in effective cap space, per OverTheCap.com. They have three NFL draft picks in the top 41. Every defensive starter is under contract.

The Bears were aggressive getting their guy, bucking the trend of uninspired coaching hires in the George McCaskey era. Chicago interviewed 17 candidates as part of their initial round, including another preferred candidate in Mike McCarthy. Johnson was obviously the top option from the outset, though it was ultimately uncertain if the Bears could secure his services.

That’s why the Bears went hard. It was the right tact for a franchise in desperate need of stability at the coaching spot. While Johnson hasn’t been a head coach at any level and we won’t know until we see it how he’ll manage games and build a culture, this was an inspired hire.

This move will excite the fan base and raise expectations for the offense especially. They found an offensive mastermind to pair with Williams, to elevate his game and create a lasting partnership between player and coach.

So much pre-hire talk surrounding Johnson was a desired alignment with a general manager, which made Las Vegas a possibility due to their vacancies at coach and GM. The Bears have Ryan Poles as general manager, three years into a contract that was signed in 2022. Johnson and Poles do have a connection, though, with both of them working as Boston College graduate assistants. Poles, an Eagles alum, was in that role in 2008. Johnson filled it in 2009-10.

Alignment is partially about contractual status. It’s also about a shared vision for the franchise. If Poles and Johnson found lockstep during their interview and hit it off, that box could’ve been checked.

So many question marks remain about the timing of this deal, why Johnson took it and what comes next for a franchise that must add so much to be a force in the ultra-competitive NFC North. They need to get better up front. They’ve probably got to add a dynamic running back. The pass rush simply must get better.

The Bears have made a major upgrade at head coach and offensive play caller with Johnson in Chicago. They were aggressive working to acquire Johnson. They didn’t mess around and didn’t want him wooed by possibility visiting other teams.

When Johnson came available the Bears were quick and decisive and did what was required to get a yes. That was essential to this process. They didn’t want Plan B. They didn’t want their second choice and did what was required to get their guy.

This offseason carries a totally different tone now. The doom and gloom of a disastrous 2024 campaign and its aftermath has been lifted. It’s a new day for the Bears franchise. We don’t know how this move will work out, but there’s fair optimism to expect better days ahead.