Jaylon Johnson throws subtle shot at former HC Matt Eberflus when describing what Ben Johnson has brought to Chicago
It’s an entirely new feeling for the Chicago Bears.
I’m far from the first one to say there’s a different energy in the building for the Chicago Bears with Ben Johnson as the team’s head coach compared to the previous couple of seasons and it’s a large reason as to why the Bears are 9-3 and currently the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
This time last year, the Bears were riding a six-game losing streak going into the month of December and had fired their head coach and offensive coordinator, now the Bears are currently riding a five-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 games.
It’s the kind of winning people haven’t seen in a long time from the Bears and someone no one currently on the roster has experienced with this team considering the longest tenured players in tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson just secured their first winning season in their NFL careers with the team’s win last Friday.
On Tuesday, Johnson was able to sit down after his first game back in action to secure that winning season and spoke highly of his new head coach, while also throwing subtle shade at Matt Eberflus.
Jaylon Johnson keeps it real when speaking about the differences under Ben Johnson
“He doesn’t do anything outside of his zone and his element,” Johnson said, via FOX 32 Chicago. “I think for him, he talks to us very much so straight. That’s kinda the biggest thing. He doesn’t do too much, he doesn’t act fake or try to be just a cool coach, or anything like that. He’s just going to be himself, he’s going to be tough and he’s going to get on us, hold us accountable, and when it’s time to have fun we’ll have fun. Really, it’s just about business and that’s what he is. He’s about his business.”
What Johnson just described there is literally the antithesis of the coach that was sitting in that chair who was fired from the team this time last year. The main reason Eberflus was fired midseason in 2024 was due to his lack of accountability and he lost all respect from the locker room, despite trying to be the “cool player’s coach” and make everyone feel like they’re having fun.
Players in the NFL see right through that phony behavior and Johnson was one of the first players to finally call Eberflus out on it following the Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions, leading to the decision to fire him the following week.
Even if he hasn’t been on the field much this season, Johnson still is seeing everything day-to-day that his new head coach is bringing to this organization.
“For me being on the outside in, (I’m) enjoying what Ben has been doing,” Johnson added. “I think for me, I haven’t felt it on the football side of it, but definitely in the mental and psychological aspects that he’s brought to our team. Just the way that he talks to the team, the way that he preaches, and instills his points and his way of doing things into our minds.”
And the Bears are tremendously better for it. They truly found their leader for the future in Ben Johnson and it’s great to see long-time players like Johnson and Kmet have this kind of leadership in Chicago for the first time and seeing the immediate results from that.
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