It is a new day for the Chicago Bears, complete with a new head coach. Ben Johnson met with the Bears media on Wednesday. The 19th head coach in franchise history laid out his vision for the team moving forward from Caleb Williams on down the rest of the Bears’ roster.
Johnson even addressed those in attendance – Williams, Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze – by telling them to “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
And Johnson plans to be hands-on, though he also noted the importance of his staff.
Ben Johnson Hire Strikes Different Chord for Bears
Ben Johnson ‘Involved’ in Every Facet
Asked directly about his plans to be involved with the defense given how much responsibility he has with the offense, Johnson said it is a head coach’s responsibility to be.
He also talked about how having an understanding of that influenced his decision last year.
“I think you have – when you’re the head coach – you have to be involved defensively, you have to be involved in special teams. That comes with the territory,” Johnson told Clocker Sports on Wednesday. “When you talk about last year – why I went back to Detroit – part of the reason was I had not fully comprehended how to make that all work. I’m at a much better space right now in terms of time management, how I can be involved with all three phases. The whole key to this is being able to tie them together, play complimentary football.
“I will be heavily involved, both defensively and special teams, as much as offense. It’s going to be critical that I hire people that have some experience here in this league and I can lean on, and I can trust.”
That is key. Johnson is in Chicago for Williams and the offense.
Williams set ample rookie franchise records. However, he left far too many plays on the field by the former No. 1 pick’s admission.
Johnson’s plan for Williams and the offense involves tearing it down to the studs and rebuilding from the fundamentals. He explained that he and general manager Ryan Poles have discussed how they must improve the offensive line.
And Johnson is open on defense too, even to a potential scheme change.
“Defensively, there are a number of guys I want to talk to,” Johnson told Clocker Sports. “Really, it’ll be predicated on who we decide to go with what that defense is going to look like.”
The Bears have run a 4-3 or “even” front since firing John Fox following the 2017 season and replacing him with Matt Nagy. A switch to a 3-4 could several players’ roster spots in jeopardy, especially along the defensive line and even at linebacker.
None of this is to say that previous Bears coaches were not involved.
It is to say that Johnson has no qualms about asserting his plans to oversee the operation. He also expressed his comfort in delegating key decisions to the people he hires.
Familiarity With the Franchise & City
Johnson has been in the NFC North for six seasons heading into 2025. He noted staying in the division as one of the reasons the Bears appealed to him. More than that, Johnson is well-versed in the city’s history and traditions.
He is a seasonal attendee at Cubs games, a tie that is bolstered by his brother’s season tickets.
This city is special. pic.twitter.com/jjdSdnvEw4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 22, 2025
Johnson’s familiarity with the area and division means he knows what has worked and what has not. The Bears have not hired a head coach as familiar with the NFC North as Johnson since Marc Trestman. As poorly as that era ended, Johnson’s assertiveness was much more convincing than the peckish Trestman. Still, he must prove that he is indeed different.
That is why his comments regarding the defense stood out. It is also why his comments regarding the offensive line and Williams are notable even if all that matters is the result.
The Bears have prided themselves on the number of Chicago guys they have on the roster.
Johnson, they hope, is that but only to the extent that he understands. Otherwise, the Bears need him to be a borderline ruthless evaluator of the current roster, which he praised.
Ben Johson: Caleb Williams Approved
Williams went viral after fans trolled the young QB. They claimed Johnson was official prematurely.
That reaction and others told the full story, and it is fair to wonder if it was the final nail for Poles. The Bears appear to have their QB, so much so that Johnson said Williams was a big factor in his decision to join the Bears. The Bears have been searching for this kind of pairing, or at least what they hope it will be.
Williams got his wish with an offensive-minded head coach, and one who spoke with intent in discussing how he wanted to help the QB develop. He challenged Williams and others to “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
Williams, Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, and others spoke about the need for accountability during the season. Johnson vowed to demand that during his intro.
Theirs is a match of chalk and chalk, now the Bears need the same outcome.
Ben Johnson, Ryan Poles Were 2 Ships in the Night Before Bears
Poles often receives criticism for his remarks about “taking” the division and never letting go. In Johnson, he has a kindred competitive spirit in Johnson, who openly acknowledged he is ready to go after the other teams in the NFC North.
He made no bones about his triumphs over the Green Bay Packers and naming the other head coaches.
“To be quite frank with you, I kinda enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.”
BEN JOHNSON COMIN’ IN HOT pic.twitter.com/vBxiEriFRk
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) January 22, 2025
Poles chuckled while relaying that Johnson had worked at his old cubicle at Boston College.
That is a notable common tie. Their journey, while not exactly full circle since they did not cross paths at BC, is like two ships passing in the night, except Poles and Johnson have docked at the same port.
Questions about “alignment” between candidates and Poles persisted amid speculation about the Bears vacancy. But Johnson eschewed that term for being in “lock-step” with his general manager.
They have been adjacent enough to keep tabs on each other.
They have been far enough apart to not have their relationship jaded. Or to have the undertones that followed Poles’ union with Johnson’s predecessor, Matt Eberflus.
There are no guarantees for success. Some measures can increase the probability, though. The Bears took some major ones during this offseason and last.
First, it was positioning themselves to land Williams who, in turn, helped No. 2: landing Johnson.
George Being a Fan (Thanks to Kevin Warren)
No one in an organization is ever down on intro day. But the confidence Bears chairman George McCaskey spoke with belied the hands-off nature of the role he said that he took during the search for a head coach.
McCaskey freely joked with the media – he is always affable – and even took a shot at Fox Sports’ Joe Buck.
Most importantly, he came off as someone who was there to lesson and empower.
McCaskey said that he offered his experience where needed, but none of the day’s rollout felt like it had his fingerprint on it. It did not really have Poles’ on it either, though his mark has only really shown once before in that regard.
Today felt more like a Kevin Warren production. The conference’s location, Johnson’s arrival by private jet, Warren’s confidence during his time with the media all felt grander.
Again, results are the only indicator of success.
But when you follow the No. 1 QB with the top head coaching prospect, there is reason to be excited. Many met Warren’s addition with mixed reactions.
It is hard to argue with the changes the organization has shown since his arrival, though. They have fired coaches in-season and have landed the proverbial big fish.
Who knows, maybe there will even be a resolution to the stadium situation.