Bill Johnson joins the Bears as a Senior Defensive Assistant in 2025.
A veteran coach, Johnson has 45 years of coaching experience including 18 seasons coaching NFL defensive lines. Most recently he spent three seasons coaching in the USFL/UFL with the Birmingham Stallions and the Houston Roughnecks. He helped the Stallions capture two league championships, winning the USFL in 2022 and the UFL in 2024.
Before coaching in the professional spring leagues, Johnson spent three seasons at LSU, first as the defensive line coach (2019-21) then as a defensive analyst. During his three seasons in Baton Rouge, the Tigers went 26-12, highlighted by a 15-0 record en route to winning the College Football Playoffs National Championship. In 2019 he helped lead a group that finished third in the SEC. Johnson coached DL Rashard Lawrence to Second-Team All-SEC honors to anchor the group.
Johnson's last stint in the NFL came as the defensive line coach for the Rams (2017-18). In his two seasons with the Rams, they captured back-to-back division titles for the first time since 1978-79 and advanced to their first Super Bowl since 2002. In 2018, the Rams finished the season tied for the best record in the NFL (13-3) advancing all the way to Super Bowl LIII. In 2018, Rams DT Aaron Donald posted a career-high 20.5 sacks, tied for the eighth most in an NFL season since the stat became official in 1982. The historic season propelled him to his second consecutive Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming one of just eight players to win the award multiple times. Donald also won the award in 2017, becoming the first player in Rams history to be honored with that award and the first DT to be named DPOY since 1999.
Prior to his time with the Rams, Johnson spent eight years in charge of the Saints' defensive line (2009-16). In 2015, DE Cameron Jordan became the ninth player in team history to record multiple seasons with double-digit sacks. In addition, under Johnson's guidance, Jordan earned two Pro Bowl appearances. In his third NFL season in 2012, Jordan finished fifth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks. In Johnson's debut season with the Saints in 2009, DE Will Smith finished the year fifth in the NFL with a career-high 13.0 sacks en route to a Super Bowl XLIV victory.
In his stop before New Orleans, Johnson spent the 2007-08 seasons as the defensive line coach with the Denver Broncos and a six-year stint in Atlanta as defensive line coach of the Falcons(2001-06). With his help, the Falcons led the NFL in sacks during the 2004 season, eventually advancing to the NFC Championship game. Johnson led DE Patrick Kerney to three double-digit sack seasons and a 2004 Pro Bowl selection. He also led DT Rod Coleman to a 10.5 sack season and Pro Bowl appearance in 2005.
Before entering the NFL ranks, Johnson spent 21 seasons coaching at the collegiate level with his final 13 seasons in that stretch as a defensive line coach. His stops included: two seasons at Louisiana Tech (1988-89), three seasons over two stints at Arkansas (1990-91, 2000) and eight seasons at Texas A&M (1992-99). With the Aggies, he mentored nine defensive linemen who were drafted into the NFL. Johnson's prior coaching stops included Miami (Fla.) (1987), McNeese State (1985-86), and his alma mater Northwestern State (1980-84).
Before coaching, Johnson played offensive line at Northwestern State from 1976-79, including two seasons as the starting center. Johnson is a Monroe, La., native. seasons as the starting center. Johnson is a Monroe, La., native. Johnson and his wife, Dawn, have two children – Billy, who works in the Rams personnel department and Abby, who works for NBC.
