Bears Opening Camp Presser: Johnson a Breath of Fresh Air
Bears GM Ryan Poles briefest presser (sans questions) in recent memory was followed by new first-year head coach Ben Johnson, who did not disappoint. One of the first things he mentioned was that he was excited for the fans who will be soon coming to Halas Hall to watch practices. Definitely appreciated by this Bears fan. Too often, fans are an afterthought these days.
Next, he asked the assembled beat writers if they had seen the Netflix show, “Thunderbirds”. None of them had, and he stated that the series had a lot of parallels with the 2025 Chicago Bears. None of the 5 pilots had flown together before. It’s all about learning trust. Similarly, the Bears have a first-time, first-year head coach, new staff, new players. “The next six weeks are about us coming together”, explained Johnson.
Dependability, consistency, production on a day-in and day-out basis were some keywords the new coach highlighted. From not only the players, but the coaches as well. Johnson emphasized the excitement around the building, and looking forward to see what leaders emerge as camp progresses. Continuous improvement is the goal.
As questions began, coach Johnson admitted there will be bumps in the road, but said a good barometer will be upcoming joint practices with Miami and Buffalo. Asked about goals for Caleb Williams, Johnson said he would like Caleb to complete 70% of his passes. I like that he is setting the bar high.
Johnson said he will lean on his coaching staff as a new coach for advice and game management. His expectations for the offense is to be explosive and detailed. As for the defense, he mentioned pressing on the outside, challenging, and stopping the run.
Regarding the left tackle position, Johnson said he will let the competition play out. He did praise Braxton Jones, who has been in the building early and often during his rehab. Rumors of Darnell Wright switching from RT to LT were shut down by Johnson.
“We have to find out who we are”, said Johnson, again emphasizing that a lot of weight will be given to these upcoming joint practices. When asked the specifics about a quarterback’s foundation, Johnson joked “Now you’re gettin’ deep lol”. Pre-snap procedure, motions, snap, footwork, anticipating throws were mentioned. Building it from “the ground up”.
Johnson mentioned that Caleb was given homework to work on over the summer, and that he has already noticed improvement. “We’re really excited to see how this thing goes over the next few weeks”, Johnson quipped. Questioned about time outs/game management he said repetition is key.
Johnson ended by saying it is a “challenge and hard work, but that’s the fun part.”
I’ve seen a lot of press conferences in my 50+ years as a Bears fan. Most of them are a snorefest and/or very disappointing. Other than “Iron” Mike Ditka back in the day, who could usually be counted on for an interesting sound byte, this is by far the most excited I have been for a coach who seems to be genuine and honest. It is most certainly a breath of fresh air.
(Aspiring NFL Writer | Children’s Author | Chicago Bears Devotee in Chiefs Territory)