When the Chicago Bears brought in Ben Johnson as their head coach last offseason, it marked more than just a new hire-it signaled a culture shift. And from the jump, Johnson made it clear that things were going to be different in Chicago.
His introductory press conference set the tone. He didn’t lean on clichés or vague promises.
Instead, he spoke with precision, laying out a vision built on accountability, detail, and high standards. For a franchise that’s spent years searching for stability and identity, Johnson’s message hit home.
And here’s the thing-he didn’t just talk the talk.
In a recent interview on Sirius XM Radio, general manager Ryan Poles pulled back the curtain on Johnson’s first year at the helm. According to Poles, Johnson wasted no time establishing expectations.
“He set the tone early,” Poles said. “Caleb was all-in for it … it’s one thing to say it, but then when we got on the practice field, you could see that come alive.
If it wasn’t done the right way, we were going to do it again.”
That mindset-relentless attention to detail and a refusal to accept anything less than full effort-became the heartbeat of the Bears’ practices. And it wasn’t just lip service. Johnson held players to a standard, and if it wasn’t met, he wasn’t afraid to hit the reset button.
There were moments during training camp and early practices that made headlines for all the right reasons. Reports surfaced of Johnson stopping drills mid-session, pulling the first-team offense off the field when execution wasn’t up to par.
Caleb Williams and the offense weren’t exempt from criticism. If anything, they were front and center in Johnson’s mission to build a team that demanded more of itself.
That approach carried over to Sundays.
Yes, the Bears made mistakes, especially early in the season. They had their share of growing pains-missed assignments, penalties, and drives that stalled before they even got started.
But what stood out wasn’t just the errors. It was the response.
This team didn’t fold. They rebounded.
They corrected course. And that resilience wasn’t accidental-it was forged on the practice field.
Johnson built a culture where failure wasn’t final, but it also wasn’t brushed aside. Mistakes were acknowledged, addressed, and then met with another opportunity to get it right.
That’s what made Johnson’s first year so impressive. He didn’t just preach accountability-he lived it.
He didn’t just talk about resilience-he built it into the fabric of the team. And while the Bears weren’t perfect, they were clearly a team with a direction, an identity, and a head coach who wasn’t afraid to demand more.
Not every first-year head coach can walk into a building, set a new standard, and actually get players to buy in. Johnson did.
He made it clear from day one that mediocre effort wouldn’t cut it. And by season’s end, the Bears were a reflection of that mindset-tough, resilient, and ready to fight for every inch.
Ben Johnson promised to bring accountability and a new standard to Chicago. Year one? He delivered.