DETROIT — A slow-moving NFL hiring cycle is about to pick up speed, and the winner of the Ben Johnson sweepstakes should be revealed soon. Johnson, the hottest offensive coordinator candidate for head coach in at least the last several hiring cycles, suddenly became available Saturday night when the Detroit Lions and their raucous fans clad in Honolulu Blue at Ford Field were shocked. The resurgent Washington Commanders, the butt of jokes for much of the last two decades, came in as  9½-point underdogs and stunned the NFC’s top seed 45-31 in a wild shootout filled with big plays and not a lot of defense — with the exception of three big interceptions of Lions quarterback Jared Goff. The Commanders, in the first season under general manager Adam Peters, coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, are headed to the NFC championship game, one win from the Super Bowl, experiencing the kind of turnaround the Bears hoped would define their 2024 season. The Lions, after an incredible 15-2 regular season, couldn’t overcome massive injuries to their defense that coordinator Aaron Glenn, another hot coaching candidate, somehow managed as the year wore on. Daniels was too poised in winning on the road for the second consecutive week. Some figured Johnson would exit a year ago after the Lions bowed out in the NFC title game. Now, he’s almost certain to take a job — with the Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars all keenly interested. Beginning Monday, teams finally can conduct in-person interviews with candidates employed by other clubs that no longer are active in the postseason, a pool Johnson and Glenn just joined. The Bears used the two weeks since the end of the regular season to consider more potential hires than any of the other teams with openings — the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Jaguars and Raiders. They announced Sunday that they completed virtual meetings with Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, bringing the total to 16 known interviews. Now, they need to determine if they can get Johnson to Halas Hall for an interview — the kind of meeting that could deliver an agreement — or start figuring out how they want to proceed with their large list of other candidates. Rumors have intensified over the last week that Johnson could be headed to the Raiders. The presence of minority owner Tom Brady and the opportunity to have input on the team’s GM hire could make it attractive. One source said the belief was that Johnson likely had his choice of all three jobs and even had the Lions won Saturday, it was likely he would decide sooner rather than later through back channels in order to get to work assembling a coach staff behind the scenes. All of that is moot now, and we’ll see what unfolds. Is the chatter of Johnson going to the Raiders real or some well-coordinated leverage play? Chicago Bears coaching search tracker: Trade inquiry for Mike Tomlin reportedly rebuffed by Pittsburgh Steelers The Bears promised an expansive coaching search, and it has been all that. But the two biggest names in this cycle were Johnson and Mike Vrabel — who went to the New England Patriots — and if Johnson winds up elsewhere, who is behind Door No. 3? “This will be the most coveted job in the National Football League this year,” Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren said on Dec. 2 after the team fired Matt Eberflus. It won’t look like the hottest job in this cycle if Johnson goes to the Raiders or Jaguars, that’s for sure. You’d have to wonder if quarterback Caleb Williams is the kind of attractive roster piece the Bears figured he would be in this process. You’d have to question whether GM Ryan Poles’ position created questions for candidates. The Commanders’ Quan Martin (20) scores on a pick-six during the second quarter against the Lions in the NFC divisional playoff game on Jan. 18, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images) It wasn’t a great game for Johnson. Goff’s two first-half picks put the Lions in a hole. Trailing 38-28 early in the fourth quarter, Johnson called a pass for wide receiver Jameson Williams on an end around and he threw a terrible interception. One poor game raises fair questions but doesn’t taint a resume built on high productivity and creativity in the passing and running games. Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, whom the Bears reportedly requested to interview, outdueled Johnson. Kingsbury let it be known he’s not going to consider any meetings until the Commanders’ season is over. From coaching candidates to ‘classic prank’ on Caleb Williams: 10 Chicago Bears storylines to watch for this weekend There is a path to success without Johnson. The proof was here in the visiting locker room. Johnson was reportedly the favorite to take the Commanders job last offseason before abruptly removing himself from the process. Washington pivoted to hire Quinn, a finalist for the Bears’ job in 2022, and the Commanders just concluded the franchise’s most successful season in more than 30 years with Daniels, who should be the runaway winner for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Washington, which finished 12-5 — the first time it had more than 10 victories since 1991 — appears well-positioned moving forward. Daniels, selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft, completed 22 of 31 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 51 yards. It will be fascinating to see how the Bears proceed. There’s a sense among league personnel that Mike McCarthy, the former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach, has a legitimate shot at the job. Related Articles Chicago Bears | Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders upset the top-seeded Detroit Lions 45-31 to reach NFC title game Chicago Bears | Kansas City Chiefs advance to their 7th straight AFC championship game with a 23-14 win over the Houston Texans Chicago Bears | Chicago Bears coaching search tracker: Trade inquiry for Mike Tomlin reportedly rebuffed by Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears | Caleb Williams has a cast on his throwing hand — but breathe easy, Chicago Bears fans Chicago Bears | Chicago Bears coaching search: Who we know are candidates for the job — and why they’d make sense (or not) The Bears flew McCarthy in for an interview Wednesday, and he could be attractive for the work he did with a young Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He’s 12th on the NFL’s all-time win list (174-112-2) after 13 seasons in Green Bay and five in Dallas, and his resume matches closely the work done by Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh and Sean Payton in New Orleans and Denver. McCarthy guided the Cowboys to three consecutive 12-win seasons from 2021-23, and if he was criticized for having a stale offense in his final few seasons with the Packers, he rebounded in Dallas, where the Cowboys boasted the league’s top scoring offense in 2021 and 2023. McCarthy, 61, is is familiar with the landscape in the NFC and the division and has a 20-7 lifetime record against the Bears, postseason included. The Packers also led the league in scoring twice during McCarthy’s tenure, something the Bears have not done since 1956, and in 18 seasons he has had an offense in the top 10 in yardage on 11 occasions. The Bears have done that once since 2000 — during Marc Trestman’s first season in 2013. The Bears, as soon as their season concluded, were interested in meeting with McCarthy. The Cowboys rebuffed their initial interview request, and the process was delayed until his contract expired Tuesday. He also has drawn interest from New Orleans and served as the Saints offensive coordinator from 2000-04. The Bears hired 59-year-old John Fox for his third head coaching gig in 2015. Fox wasn’t as involved as McCarthy from the standpoint that McCarthy had play-calling responsibilities with the Cowboys, meaning he was at the heart of daily and weekly game planning. It’s Johnson’s move now. Maybe he will take a day to process what just happened, but things ought to get rolling. The Bears need to have another plan ready in the event he’s not coming their way.