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.”