Zac Taylor is not just a head coach — he is a curator. His coaching philosophy is built on collaboration, adaptability, and merging offensive minds capable of evolving the system around quarterback play. With Joe Burrow as the foundation of the franchise, Taylor understood that Cincinnati needed one thing above all else: an offensive staff capable of thinking ahead, innovating weekly, and building systems that elevate their stars.
Ben Johnson fit that profile perfectly.
Taylor’s pursuit was not random. It reflected intentional strategy:
He wanted thinkers.
He wanted teachers.
He wanted coaches who could develop quarterbacks while reinventing concepts.
Johnson had the traits Taylor valued most: intellectual rigor, schematic creativity, and the ability to challenge ideas constructively. Coaches like that are rare. Coaches like that change organizations.
Taylor has always believed that great teams are built not just on elite talent, but on elite process. He looked at Johnson and saw someone who could help refine that process — someone who could take pieces of Taylor’s system and amplify them through creativity, sequencing, and meticulous detail.
He also saw someone who could bridge eras. The Bengals offense — rooted in spread concepts, rhythm throws, spacing, and vertical threats — had room to incorporate more motion, more pre-snap conflict, more dynamic personnel usage. Johnson excelled in those areas. He had already shown he could modernize offensive systems without abandoning their core identity.
For Taylor, hiring Johnson was not merely about adding talent. It was about adding a multiplier.
This is why he made the attempt. It is why he viewed Johnson as potentially transformative to Cincinnati’s coaching DNA.
Ultimately, timing prevented the partnership. But the pursuit alone reveals how highly Taylor regarded him — and how carefully the Bengals evaluate offensive minds.
3. The Near-Miss: How Timing, Opportunity, and Organizational Direction Shaped Johnson’s Path Away From Cincinnati
Even when a head coach wants to hire a talented assistant, the NFL’s rules, realities, and hierarchies shape the outcome. And in Ben Johnson’s case, timing may have been the most decisive factor preventing a move to Cincinnati.
Johnson was rapidly rising within the Lions’ organization. Dan Campbell saw his value immediately and positioned him for expansion. Detroit wanted to keep him, develop him, and eventually elevate him. Teams do not easily part with ascending stars, especially when they are reinventing the offense around them.
At the same time, Johnson was evaluating his own path. Ambition is part of coaching, but so is patience. Some assistants jump at the first opportunity to join a bigger brand or work under a high-profile coach. Johnson is wired differently. He prefers fit over prestige, alignment over title, and creative control over immediate ascension.
What Detroit offered was rare: freedom.
Freedom to design systems.
Freedom to challenge traditional concepts.
Freedom to build an offense around quarterback efficiency, adaptability, and matchups.
Leaving that structure prematurely would have risked diluting his influence. Remaining in Detroit gave him a chance to fully solidify his identity as a coordinator — something that would not only prepare him for head coaching opportunities but ensure he entered those opportunities with a polished resume.
Cincinnati’s offer was appealing — the chance to work with Burrow, develop within a championship-caliber culture, and collaborate with a respected offensive coach. But Detroit matched alignment in ways that extended beyond salary, title, or market.
Johnson’s decision was not a rejection of Taylor. It was a continuation of his own evolution.
From the Bengals’ perspective, the near-miss was disappointing but not detrimental. From Johnson’s perspective, it was a decision rooted in long-term strategy.
And from the league’s perspective, it was confirmation that Johnson was emerging as one of the NFL’s smartest architects — someone who would eventually become a cornerstone figure in a franchise’s future.
4. The Bears Enter the Picture: Why Chicago Became the Franchise Willing to Build Around Ben Johnson
When the Chicago Bears decided to overhaul their identity, they looked across the league at the rising generation of offensive minds. They wanted someone who could develop a quarterback, reinvent the playbook, and shape the culture around creativity and discipline. They wanted someone with fresh ideas rather than recycled templates. They wanted someone who could see the field differently.
They wanted Ben Johnson.
Chicago’s pursuit was not subtle. They studied his work in Detroit meticulously. They noted how Detroit improved in virtually every offensive metric under his guidance. They noted how players responded to him — with respect, enthusiasm, and clarity. They noted how he built systems flexible enough to adapt weekly without losing identity.
Johnson fit everything the Bears wanted:
A teacher capable of nurturing young talent.
An innovator capable of challenging league trends.
A strategist capable of maximizing limited personnel.
A communicator capable of inspiring players.
Chicago was willing to build its program around him — something even Cincinnati could not guarantee at the time.
The Bears also represented a blank canvas. Johnson could bring in his philosophies, tailor the offense to the personnel, and create something uniquely his. The chance to elevate a team historically defined by defense into a modern offensive force appealed to him. Chicago offered not only opportunity, but influence.
In Detroit, he refined.
In Chicago, he could define.
That distinction matters for coaches who aspire to leave a long-term legacy.
The Bears also viewed Johnson not simply as an offensive coordinator, but as someone who could one day become the next great NFL head coach — potentially even in their own building.
Cincinnati came close. Chicago committed fully.
That difference determined Johnson’s destination.
5. What the Attempted Hire Reveals About Zac Taylor: Vision, Confidence, and a Commitment to Innovation
Zac Taylor’s pursuit of Ben Johnson reveals something important — something that goes beyond one attempted hire.
It reveals that Taylor understands the value of surrounding himself with thinkers who elevate his system. Many head coaches fear hiring assistants who are too ambitious, too intelligent, or too strong-willed. They prefer control over challenge. They prefer predictability over intellectual tension.
Taylor is not one of those coaches.
He wanted Johnson precisely because Johnson would challenge him — not undermine him. Great organizations grow stronger by adding brilliance, not by protecting egos.
Taylor’s pursuit reflects strategic courage. He recognized that Cincinnati’s offense, even with Burrow and elite receivers, needed continued evolution to stay ahead of defensive innovation. He saw that Johnson could accelerate that evolution.
It also reveals confidence. Coaches who are insecure do not seek out rising stars. Coaches who are confident do.
Finally, it reflects cultural maturity. The best organizations prioritize process over personality. Taylor saw Johnson as someone who could enhance the Bengals’ process.
In many ways, Taylor’s pursuit validated Johnson’s rising reputation. When one of the league’s most respected head coaches wants someone on his staff, the rest of the league takes notice.
And they did.
6. The Long-Term Impact: What This Connection Means for the Bears, Bengals, and the Shape of the NFL Coaching Landscape
The revelation of Taylor’s pursuit reverberates far beyond two franchises. It signals broader trends in the NFL:
The value of offensive innovation is rising.
The next generation of coaching stars is emerging.
Teams are increasingly aggressive in identifying and securing brilliant minds early.
For the Bears, this reinforces the significance of landing Johnson. If Taylor — one of the league’s most respected offensive architects — wanted Johnson for Cincinnati’s staff, then Chicago’s hire is not simply promising. It is foundational.
Johnson is now positioned as one of the league’s most influential offensive thinkers and potential future head coaches. The Bears will be shaped by his vision, discipline, and adaptability. His ability to develop quarterbacks will define Chicago’s future. And his creativity will likely become one of the franchise’s most valuable assets.
For the Bengals, the situation underscores their relentless pursuit of excellence. Even though they did not land Johnson, Taylor’s willingness to recruit him reveals that Cincinnati will continue seeking elite coaching talent to support Burrow’s prime years. The Bengals remain one of the NFL’s best-run franchises because they evaluate talent — both on the field and on the sideline — with precision.
For the NFL at large, the Taylor–Johnson story is part of a larger shift. The coaching landscape is changing. Younger coaches with modern philosophies — built on adaptability, data integration, and flexible schematics — are becoming the league’s most valuable commodities. The next great era of coaching is emerging, and Johnson is positioned at its center.
This attempted hire was not a footnote. It was a preview.
A preview of the coaching competition shaping the league.
A preview of the demand for minds like Johnson’s.
A preview of how the Bears and Bengals will define their futures.
And a preview of the next chapter in Ben Johnson’s career — one that may ultimately lead to a head coaching role that changes the NFL landscape even further.
Conclusion: A Missed Hire That Reveals a Much Bigger Story
Zac Taylor’s attempt to bring Ben Johnson to Cincinnati is not just an anecdote about one hiring attempt that didn’t materialize. It is a reflection of the intelligence, strategy, and competitive awareness that drive the league’s top franchises. It is an endorsement of Johnson’s brilliance. It is a snapshot of coaching dynamics that shape the NFL behind the scenes.
Taylor saw what Johnson was becoming before many others did.
The Lions saw it too — and protected it.
The Bears saw it — and invested in it.
And now the league sees it — and prepares for the impact.
Ben Johnson was almost part of Cincinnati’s coaching architecture. Instead, he is helping build a new era in Chicago.
Two franchises. Two visions. One rising coach whose trajectory continues to climb.
And the NFL is watching.
