'It gave me chills' — How one word from Chicago Bears' HC Ben Johnson sparked a fire back inside the team's locker room
The Chicago Bears are one day away from the start of training camp, the next phase of the offseason heading into the first year under new head coach Ben Johnson.Since arriving to Chicago back in January, Johnson has continued to impress at every turn with how he talks about leading this team and where he […]
The Chicago Bears are one day away from the start of training camp, the next phase of the offseason heading into the first year under new head coach Ben Johnson.
Since arriving to Chicago back in January, Johnson has continued to impress at every turn with how he talks about leading this team and where he wants to take the Bears.
Johnson wasn't brought in to Chicago to facilitate another rebuild, he was brought in to create an immediate organizational 180 and he's been doing so by demanding instant success out of his players and focusing on all the little details it takes to be great.
That kind of message has been a welcome sign for the players in the locker room that desperately needed a coach who can push them to be great while being accountable, but there's one word Johnson specifically mentioned that's helped spark the fire back.
"It's going to be hard, we're going to work, we're going to be where our feet are. This is a new Bears Era, no doubt," safety Jaquan Brisker said via Cassie Carlson. "He told us in the meeting room, and it really caught my attention, he said 'I want to build dynasties' and that's the first coach in like years that came in said that, and the energy that he said it. I was right on board when he said that. . .
"That dynasty word gave me chills. It gave me chills."
Having that kind of confidence in himself and in his players before even coaching a game shows the kind of mentality Johnson has for this organization. Speaking those words with that kind of energy is infectious as well for a team this eager to turn things around.
Johnson doesn't just want his team to just be great and sustain greatness, he wants to demolish teams along the way.
"He doesn't just want to win. We want to win by a lot," linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said in April. "We want to dominate. That's important. That just talks about his mentality, talks about his mindset. It's like, 'nah, we're gonna be the best we're gonna be.' We want to dominate, and we want our opponent to feel that for sure."
When Johnson stepped into the building, winning over the players and establishing the culture was the #1 task. He's been able to do that by getting back to the basics and urging his players to operate to the best of their abilities each and every day.
"To truly be honest, it's different," Brisker added. "I know a lot of players say that, but the only reason I say that is because when I walked into the weight room during OTAs, the linemen were getting after it. You could hear the weights just smashing, everybody is just getting to work. That never happened when I was with the Bears, it hasn't happened since college. . .
"When you walk in, that's what you want to hear. You want to hear the linemen screaming, getting to it, you hear coaches getting activated and things like that. That was different and the offseason energy is just all work. We're going to keep working and we're not going to talk. Just put the work in and let it speak for itself."
It helps that Johnson put together an incredible staff comprised of some of the best positional coaches in the league to help relay that message down to the players.
Once training camp arrives, the intensity will only pick up even more heading into the season. Throwing the word "dynasty" around this early is bold by Ben Johnson, but he understands to reach that level, it takes everyone doing their best one day at a time.
The Chicago Bears’ offense is banking on these 4 key factors working out in its favor during training camp
Real football is finally back.
