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Ben Johnson keeping it real as Bears prepare for playoffs

Ben Johnson isn’t afraid of hard truths, and it’s a big reason why his Chicago Bears are already NFC North champs in his first season.

Published

3 weeks ago

January 6, 2026

BearsTalk Staff

Brutal honesty isn’t a problem for Ben Johnson.

The Chicago Bears’ head coach isn’t afraid to tell harsh truths, or call it like he sees it. Sure, he’s led his team to a division title in his first season, but he’s not satisfied with just a playoff appearance.

As his team prepares to host the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the postseason this weekend, Johnson made it clear that the job’s nowhere near finished:

Ben Johnson's candor is only one of the things that makes him a great coach IMO. Here's what he said today about acknowledging reality: “The role of the head coach is not to be a cheerleader. It’s to say it like it is. If something pops up and I feel like it needs to be said,…
— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) January 5, 2026

As the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions for three seasons, Johnson saw first-hand what it looks like to dominate in the regular season, only to come up short in the playoffs. He clearly doesn’t want to replicate that disappointment in Chicago.

The regular season was indeed impressive for Johnson and the Bears, especially in Year 1 of his tenure. But like he said himself, the playoffs are completely new season on their own. If Chicago comes up short at this point, their regular-season success won’t dull the pain of postseason defeat.

Expect Johnson and his team to be locked in this week, especially with their most heated rival coming to town.