The mark of a good head coach is the way he motivates his players. George Halas was famous for his methods during his Hall of Fame career. Mike Ditka wasn’t always a wordsmith, but he understood ways to communicate. Lovie Smith might’ve been soft-spoken, but he was smart and knew the right words to say. Head coaches who don’t have the ability to vary their approach often find their message falls on deaf ears after a certain period of time, especially if the team isn’t winning. Ben Johnson already shows a knack for this.
Getting a message to players doesn’t always have to be through direct communication. There are other ways, especially in the internet and digital media era. It appears the Chicago Bears‘ head coach found a subtle one to get things started. Recent examinations of the team’s website reveal that there is no depth chart. Every single position on offense, defense, and special teams is blank. This reflects the message he sent after the draft. No jobs will be handed out. All of them must be earned. Even if the big-name players aren’t immune to this reality.
Ben Johnson is making his message clear.
What everybody did last season doesn’t matter. The Bears were 5-12, again the worst team in the division. Every free agent or trade addition they made achieved their success with other teams. This is about the 2025 Bears. His job is to get the absolute best 11 players on the field offensively and defensively. If that means turning up the heat on guys, so be it. Ben Johnson wasn’t brought here to make friends. He was brought here to win. If guys fear competition, they have no business being on this roster. This is one way to help root out the weak links. Players who can’t handle the idea of battling for their job can’t be trusted to come through in big games. Johnson wants winners.
