Ben Johnson’s postgame praise for unlikely hero shows how awesome of a coach he truly is for the Bears
Jahdae Walker delivered on the belief he had from his coaches.
The Chicago Bears were well aware of the challenge Week 16 was going to bring on the offensive side of the ball being without two of their top wide receivers in Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
For some, challenge is just another word for opportunity, and it’s something the Bears have embodied all season long dealing with more injuries than any other team in the league but still having players step up to the plate and deliver. It’s a mark of a good roster and great coaching.
Saturday’s improbable win against the Packers was no different and the man who stepped up to the plate and rose to his opportunity was undrafted rookie wide receiver Jahdae Walker.
Jahdae Walker’s game-tying TD shouldn’t be overlooked, nor should the coaching in Chicago
Entering Saturday’s game, Walker played a total of eight offensive snaps and was sparingly used as a member of the 53-man roster. Going back to training camp and the preseason, Walker’s talent was clearly evident and earned him a spot during roster cuts.
While other teams haven’t seen much of Walker this season since the last preseason game, the Bears certainly have and there’s a reason the belief remained so high in this guy.
“We see what he does every single week,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters after the game. “We see how he goes about his business. There’s a reason why we didn’t want to expose him to the waiver wire and someone poach him after the preseason. We see a bright future for this guy and he’s done nothing but steadily improve over the course of this season.”
No moment was bigger than Saturday’s game for Walker stepping up in place of Odunze and Burden and he delivered on that belief catching two passes for 21-yards and the game-tying touchdown to force overtime. Even if the walk-off by DJ Moore will receive all the attention on Sunday morning.
“The coaches trust him,” Johnson added. “Caleb (Williams) trusts him. When it’s a big moment like that, and you’re not sure exactly what coverage they’re going to be in, anybody could get that ball depending on what they call. I had a lot of confidence that he was going to come down and get it. And so does Caleb.”
Each week, this team finds a new hero on the roster to win the game. Saturday, Walker was definitely that guy by making that play in that moment. But, big picture, it really speaks to the level of coaching Johnson has brought to this locker room and the belief he instills into his players.
“That’s where we’re at as a team right now,” Johnson said. “I feel like everyone trusts that whoever’s out there on game day, they’re going to come through for us. It doesn’t matter who it is at this point.”
Personally, it’s time to chalk it up. Ben Johnson is your NFL Coach of the Year for everything that he’s done with this team and with the organization this year.
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