Earlier this month, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen would be a "prime candidate for other opportunities" this offseason. Well, he wasn't kidding.
Moments ago, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero announced that Allen will join forces with Ben Johnson in the Windy City. The offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions has been assembling his staff for the 2025 season. Evidently, he wants Allen to be the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears.
"Ben Johnson has been busy assembling a star-studded coaching staff. The leading candidate to become his defensive coordinator in Chicago is former Saints HC Dennis Allen," ESPN's Adam Schefter said.
Allen had an 18-25 record as the head coach of the Saints. He was fired in the middle of the 2024 season. Despite being let go mid-season, he showed nothing but class on his way out of the Big Easy.
While there might be concerns about Allen's shortcomings, don't let his tenure in New Orleans fool you. He's a fine choice for defensive coordinator.
Prior to becoming the head coach of the Saints, Allen was considered one of the top defensive minds in the league.
Allen should also give Johnson a valuable voice to lean on during his first year as a head coach. After all, he's been through the ups and downs of running an NFL franchise.
It's also worth noting that Chicago wasn't the only team pursuing Allen. He recently interviewed with the Indianapolis Colts. At the end of the day, the Bears won these sweepstakes.
Will the Bears take a step forward next season? Only time will tell, but a tandem of Allen and Johnson is quite intriguing.
