Ben Johnson was among the most sought-after candidates in the NFL’s current coaching cycle, attracting serious interest from multiple franchises. After passing on head coaching offers last offseason to pursue a championship run with the Detroit Lions, Johnson ultimately accepted the head coaching position with the Chicago Bears.
As details of his contract have emerged, it has become clear that the Bears made a significant financial commitment, placing Johnson among the highest-paid head coaches in the league.
Ben Johnson’s Salary and Contract
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that Johnson signed a huge, five-year, $65 million contract with the Bears, which translates to a $13 million annual salary.
Given the level of interest in Johnson, with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders all pursuing him, along with Detroit’s willingness to retain him as one of the league’s highest-paid coordinators, it was inevitable that Chicago would need to make a major financial commitment to land him.
Johnson’s reported $13 million annual salary ranks ninth among NFL head coaches, trailing only the top tier of earners, including former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who was making $17 million per year before his departure.
Johnson has so far been worth every single penny as he led the Bears to a division title in his first season. Chicago finished the regular season as the second seed in the NFC and will host the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round.
According to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, Chicago’s offense ranked 10th in the league during the regular season.
Which NFL Coaches Are Earning More Than Johnson?
Here is the current list of NFL coaches who are earning more than Johnson with the Bears.
1) Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2026 salary: $20 million
Andy Reid is widely regarded as the best head coach in the NFL, so it makes sense that he’s also the league’s highest-paid coach.
The Kansas City Chiefs extended Reid’s contract and locked him up on a new deal, making him the top-ranked head coach on this list. He’s under contract through the 2029 season.
2) Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
- 2026 salary: $18 million
In Feb. 2023, NBC Sports’ Peter King reported that Sean Payton signed a five-year contract “in the neighborhood” of $18 million annually. Considering the draft capital and money they gave up, the Denver Broncos clearly expect Payton to turn the team into a perennial contender. Which he did. The Broncos made it to the first round of the NFL playoffs.
3T) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2024 salary: $16 million
Mike Tomlin was hired as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach on Jan. 27, 2007. He has never had a losing season, holding the NFL record for most consecutive non-losing seasons to begin an NFL coaching career. Tomlin’s worst seasons came in 2012, 2013, and 2019, when his teams finished 8-8.
The Steelers and Tomlin agreed to terms on a three-year extension to keep him under contract through the 2027 season. According to Front Office Sports, he’s earning $16 million annually.
3T) Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
- 2026 salary: $16 million
Harbaugh is back in the NFL like he never left. After a nearly decade-long stint as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh signed a five-year, $80 million deal with the Chargers in 2024.
Upon Harbaugh’s arrival as the Chargers’ head coach, expectations weren’t very high heading into the regular season, with many expecting the team to miss the playoffs. However, Harbaugh led Los Angeles to 11 wins and a playoff berth despite the team offloading several talented offensive players in the offseason.
The Chargers’ defense has become one of the best units in the league, and they have qualified for the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Harbaugh brought Jesse Minter with him from Michigan and made him the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, which proved to be a phenomenal decision.
5) Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
- 2026 salary: $15 million
After becoming a head coach at age 30, McVay became the youngest NFL head coach (37) to win a Super Bowl when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022.
Amazon reportedly offered McVay $100 million over five years to serve as a broadcaster after the 2022 campaign, but he chose to stay in Los Angeles — and received a subsequent pay bump.
