The Chicago Bears are going to have a different mindset and tougher mentality under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Speaking to the press, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator signaled a change in tone when asked how he was going to approach training camp. Johnson doesn’t want anything to be easy, preferring hard work and determination.
Ben Johnson Sends Stern Warning: ‘This Should Be Hard’
Johnson was answering a question about how his rebuilt offensive line was going to gel, specifically how the coaching staff was going to make the transition easy for the new pieces in the locker room. Spoiler alert: it’s not going to be easy.
“It shouldn’t be easy. This should be hard,” Johnson told reporters. “The spring should be hard. Training camp should be hard. Anything worth doing should be hard. So, it’s going to take a lot of work. It’s going to take a lot of effort, in particular, Year 1, we should not be comfortable as we’re coming into the springtime.
“We’re going to load these guys up. We’re going to see what they can handle. We’re going to fail and that’s okay. That’s part of how you learn and how you grow, and how you get better, and so we’re going to encourage that as a coaching staff. So, nothing about this is about making it easier. So, yeah, it’s going to be fun.”
Love this mindset from Ben Johnson pic.twitter.com/Jzsm2rUmZK
— Dave (@dave_bfr) March 13, 2025
Bears general manager Ryan Poles couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he sat next to Johnson. He smirked several times during the press conference, seeming to agree with the no-nonsense talk coming out of Johnson’s mouth.
Remember, Chicago was the only team in the NFC North to miss the playoffs last season. Something needed to change and Johnson’s message is the first step toward changing the culture.
Chicago Bears Fans React to Johnson’s Message
Chicago Bears fans showed up en masse in the comments to support Johnson’s tough words. They loved what he had to say, praising his coaching mentality while pointing out how happy Poles looked sitting next to him.
One X user wrote, “I know we always fall in love with the new toy…But this guy is special!”
Another expressed how motivated they felt, saying: “Ben Johnson is a dawg. I’d run through a brick wall for him.”
“Inject this into my veins right now,” another user wrote.
“We finally have a real coach,” said another fan.
“That’s class, could listen to Ben Johnson talk for hours, the players have been too comfortable for decades, now’s the time to change that mindset 🐻⬇️,” wrote another user.
That’s class, could listen to Ben Johnson talk for hours, the players have been too comfortable for decades, now’s the time to change that mindset 🐻⬇️
— Keegybhoy (@keegybhoy) March 13, 2025
Mixed in with all the hope was some cautious optimism. This is the Bears, after all.
One user said, “I hate how much hope I have.”
“I hate these two for making me excited about the Bears next season. I have to just keep reminding myself: It’s the Bears. It’s the Bears. It’s the Bears,” said another fan.
I hate these two for making me excited about the Bears next season.
I have to just keep reminding myself: It’s the Bears. It’s the Bears. It’s the Bears.
— Ghost of Jimmy Legan (@GhostofJLegan) March 14, 2025
However, one maintained the optimism: “God I love this answer. Can’t wait to see how this team turns out.”
What To Expect From the Bears in the 2025 Season?
The Johnson era has gotten off to a hot start in Chicago as the franchise went out and addressed their needs with a purpose. After drafting their QB of the future, Caleb Williams, first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, the team did not have as much success on offense as they would’ve hoped in a crowded NFC North.
The Bears ranked 30th in PFSN’s Offense+ metric, with the rookie enduring growing pains during his first season. Sterling Xie explains, “We’ve seen enough flashes from Williams to say that he is the Bears QB of the future. There have been moments, but the second-worst third-down offense is never going to grade well for us or have success at a high level.”
“That flaw likely improves with time as Chicago’s rookie signal-caller adjusts to the speed of the pro game, but that, along with the worst sack rate, was a prohibitive anchor on the Bears’ offensive production. On the bright side, this was an elite red-zone offense (eighth-best), not typically a calling card for an offense with this many moving pieces.”
While the Bears’ offense should see some improvement with Johnson’s addition as head coach, there’s been a lot of investment in the offensive line. The additions of Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson will absolutely improve the rushing and passing protection. Were their contributions to Chicago’s offensive struggles a bit overstated?
While it was an issue at times in 2024, Ben Rolfe points out in PFSN offensive line rankings, “The Bears’ OL was asked to block for the fourth-longest time of any unit last season (3.09 seconds). That contributed heavily to a 10.7% sack rate (last in the NFL) because their 35.4% pressure rate was 18th.”
The unit rose from 17th to 14th following a reranking during free agency, but fans must wait until September to see how this new offensive line will gel in the 2025 season.
