It hasn’t taken Ben Johnson long to show everybody at Halas Hall that he is a completely different animal from Matt Eberflus. Whether that is good or bad remains to be seen. Still, it is apparent the 38-year-old’s personality is anything but laid back. The guy is not only sharp as a tack, but he has a way with words that was never apparent with his predecessor. That was on display again at the Brian Piccolo Award ceremony. Every year, the Chicago Bears honor two players, one rookie and one veteran, who exemplify the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication, and sense of humor of the late running back who tragically died of cancer in 1970.
The honorees this year were linebacker T.J. Edwards and wide receiver Rome Odunze. For Edwards, it was his second time receiving the award, showcasing how beloved he is in the locker room. Johnson decided to give a speech before letting the players talk. He couldn’t resist taking an immediate jab at Edwards with the first words out of his mouth.
“First, I need to thank you, because if you hadn’t taken the cheese on that Stumblebum play, I don’t know if I would have gotten this job.”
Ouch. He is, of course, referencing the now-infamous trick play last season when Jared Goff pulled off a terrific play-action fake where it looked like he was stumbling. It turned out to be a ruse, allowing tight end Sam LaPorta to pop wide open for a touchdown.
Ben Johnson then pulled a complete about-face.
Rather than give the typical speech a head coach would, offering admiration to Edwards for his professionalism and ability, he took a different direction. The head coach wrote a poem. Yes, really. He wrote a short poem honoring Piccolo and what he meant to the franchise, and why his name is on the award. It was surprisingly moving for somebody who hasn’t been with the organization long.
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That sequence shows you why Ben Johnson will be a central figure in the locker room. He has the capacity to make Bears players both love and hate him in equal measure. That is how intelligent he is, how passionate he is, and how biting his tongue can be. Good coaches have the ability to change their delivery depending on the situation. He knew that Stumblebum comment would annoy Edwards. Not a lot, but just enough to remind him that the award doesn’t mean he is immune to criticism. Then he proceeded to lavish him with praise. Eberflus never did stuff like that.
