Editor’s note: We’ve got some time to kill entering Bears training camp, leaving plenty of time to ponder and discuss. Our summer Tuesdays will be spent looking at the NFC North overall with some divisional power rankings. They’re going to be tough considering that this division is loaded with talented and successful teams. Three franchises made the playoffs, for goodness sakes. That leads to an embarrassment of riches at certain spots, especially where we’ll start, with the head coaches.

There’s instant regret starting with the NFC North head coaches. How on earth can they be ranked, considering their diverse personalities and methods that produce similar results? And whichever guy comes in last on this list wouldn’t be in that spot virtually anywhere else.

Every coach in this division is good. Only Ben Johnson doesn’t have a track record in his current position. That’s why the Bears head coach is in the bottom slot. He might not be in a different division, but that’s the differentiator here.

Let’s take a look at these head coach rankings, which will surely spark some debate:

Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings

The former quarterback hasn’t been a head coach long but has done some good things since taking over in Minnesota. He has a 34-17 overall record over three seasons and earned AP Coach of the Year honors in 2024.

That was well deserved, considering he helped produce 14 wins with Sam Darnold as his quarterback. He has dealt with multiple quarterbacks since taking over. He started with Kirk Cousins and had a string of backups after the veteran succumbed to injury. The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy but lost him to a knee injury before the season started. O’Connell made magic with Darnold, proving his worth as an offensive play caller and head coach.

He’s well respected throughout the league, is a solid game manager with an excellent record in one-score games and has become the example of how to coach modern football. That’s why O’Connell’s on top of a distinguished list of NFC North head coaches.

Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions

The comedy that was Dan Campbell’s introductory press conference is a distant memory now, with focus on a former cellar dweller that Campbell turned into an NFC juggernaut. The Lions were 3-13-1 in Campbell’s first season, but he helped build the program the right way and has been above .500 ever since. The Lions have won two straight division titles with a brand of football that’s both fun and impactful.

They score a ton and play a physical brand of defense in Campbell’s image. Campbell’s a CEO-style coach in a division full of offensive play callers, but has proven an effective game manager and culture builder. He must overcome the loss of both coordinators – Johnson’s the Bears head coach and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn took over the New York Jets – but there’s little doubt Campbell can maintain Detroit’s positive momentum and contend for another division title.

Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers

The NFC North’s longest-tenured head coach has kept his job for a reason. He has a 67-33 overall record in six seasons, with just one below .500 campaign at 8-9 in 2022. His offenses consistently rank in the top 10, even after the transition from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love. LaFleur’s ability to keep the Packers going after Rodgers’ departure might be his greatest achievement, and it shows his mettle as a coach.

Can he consistently compete in a loaded division? That will be a tough task, but LaFleur’s likely up for it.

Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears

Johnson hasn’t experienced a single game as a head coach. That’s why he’s at the bottom of this list. There are too many unknowns and unproven elements of his job to rank him above any of the excellent coaches in this division. So that’s that.

I’ve said several times that Johnson has “it” as a play caller and leader of men. He’s supremely confident, super intense and a detail-oriented individual able to focus on the little things and the big picture at the same time. Johnson earned leaguewide respect as Detroit’s innovative offensive coordinator, a tenure that made him the top coaching candidate the last two cycles. He chose Chicago and Caleb Williams, knowing full well he’ll have to best three excellent coaches to bring the Bears back to prominence.