Bear Digest

Ben Johnson almost won the city of Chicago hot dogs once again

Ben Johnson has already fed the city of Chicago twice this season. He almost did it a third time against Green Bay.
Jerry Markarian|
Jul 23, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears guard Theo Benedet (79) and offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) run a drill during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Jul 23, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears guard Theo Benedet (79) and offensive tackle Darnell Wright (58) run a drill during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

A discernible pattern has developed. The Wieners Circle issues a challenge, and Ben Johnson emphatically responds.

Their previous proposition (before the shirtless Ben Johnson request): If an offensive lineman or defensive player scores an offensive touchdown, then the city will (once again) celebrate with free hot dogs.

It took two months, but Johnson, forever a man of the people, called the play that would've fed Chicago. He wasn't messing around, either. He called it on a critical third-and-one on the goal line, and former undrafted free agent Theo Benedet was going to be the lucky recipient.

It was also going to cap off an emphatic 17-play drive in which Chicago tied the game at 21 with eight minutes to go. It's tough to imagine a more demoralizing scenario, and I really think that was Johnson's intention. He's an absolute menace.

How rare are big men touchdowns?

Very. Benedet would've become only the second big guy (with Tristan Wirfs being the only other one) to reach the end zone this season. In fact, the ball would've been in his hands, literally and figuratively, if the Packers didn't commit an obvious chop block on him as he was running across the line of scrimmage.

The refs didn't throw a flag on the chop block, by the way.. so feel free to use this play as a rebuttal to any Packers fans who want to complain about one-sided officiating. The zebras are just always bad.

Ben Johnson said Benedet was the first read on the play, and Williams did a great job of pivoting when he saw that the big guy got taken out. It wasn't nearly as routine a play as it looked, and it wasn't even drawn up for Loveland (although Johnson deserves a lot of credit for drawing up a quality second option in case they took away Benedet).

It's fair to question whether Johnson had this play drawn up before The Wieners Circle issued their (increasingly popular) challenge. I personally believe that was absolutely the case. The Bears have been toying with the idea of getting the big guys involved in the passing game long before the season kicked off, after all.

That's also who Johnson has proven to be from his days in Detroit. He always tries to keep defenses on their toes (and heels).

I personally think it's only a matter of time before one of the Bears' big men gets in the end zone. The city will be rejoicing with free hot dogs soon enough.

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Jerry Markarian
JERRY MARKARIAN

Jerry Markarian has been an avid Chicago Bears fan since 2010 and has been writing about the team since 2022. He has survived the 2010 NFC Championship Game, a career-ending injury to his favorite player (Johnny Knox), the Bears' 2013 season finale, a Double Doink, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Weeks 8-17 of the 2024 NFL season. Nevertheless, he still Bears Down!

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