Bear Digest

Ben Johnson delivers first 'Bear Down!' message as head coach of the Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson sent Bears fans a very special video message on social media after officially signing his contract to become the team's head coach.

Bryan Perez

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
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There's something special any time a new beacon of hope shouts the phrase 'Bear Down!'.

Chicago Bears fans have seen first-round picks, high-priced free agents, and even No. 1 overall quarterbacks yell it. However, it was extra special when new head coach Ben Johnson 'Bear'd Down' during his first message to the fanbase on Tuesday.

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Johnson's excitement to be in Chicago, to be part of the Bears organization, is obvious. It's no surprise it didn't take long -- like, 24 hours -- for him to agree to become the team's head coach. As he said several times on Tuesday, the Chicago Bears are the team he wanted to be with; Chicago is where he wanted to be.

Refreshing, isn’t it? The Bears didn’t land Ben Johnson by offering the biggest paycheck (though he’s expected to earn over $13 million per season). Instead, they won him over by presenting a rare opportunity—a team with a solid roster and an elite quarterback.

"My family and I are incredibly blessed and fortunate to take this next step in our journey, and I cannot wait to lead our players, our support staff and organization, while doing so at the service of Bears fans," Johnson said in a statement. "We are looking forward to fully ingraining ourselves in the great city of Chicago, as we work to create an impact in this special community. I am excited to partner with Ryan and the entire organization as we work to create a championship-caliber program. We are ready to get to work."

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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