Ben Johnson's new Bears coaching staff brings key changes in 2025

Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet highlights the key difference in Ben Johnson's coaching staff compared to past regimes.

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There's a very different vibe around the Chicago Bears as the official countdown to training camp, which kicks off on July 23, has begun.

That shift can be traced back to the day the Bears named Ben Johnson head coach. It represented a massive change in how Chicago did business -- they infamously shopped in the coaching bargain bin before giving Johnson a blank check -- and, now that Johnson has gotten his hands on this roster, the changes have extended onto the field as well.

“They’re relentless on the details,” Cole Kmet said. “I think that’s something that may be a little unique from what I’ve had in the past. Not saying other coaches weren’t detailed, but it’s like an obsession with the details — and you can feel that from [Johnson]."

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We'll say it for you, Cole. The coaching regimes that preceded Johnson went from an overrated offensive coordinator whose resume was inflated by Patrick Mahomes' success to a defensive coordinator who no one had heard of before Chicago hired him. Both coaches -- Matt Nagy and Matt Eberflus -- failed on the job, and they both lacked that attention to detail.

We know this to be the case because neither coach could ever clearly articulate answers to the problems that plagued the Bears during their tenures. Indeed, they struggled to identify those problems, as well. And, usually, that's a result of poor preparation and a lack of attention to the details that matter so much to Johnson.

"When they hit the mark, we love them up," Johnson said. "When we fall short, we gotta let ‘em know so we get it better next time."

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That last part, the accountability for mistakes, is equally as important as caring about the details. There's no point in emphasizing every aspect of a player's role and responsibility if they aren't held accountable when they fall short. Eberflus was a pushover, and it's why he became the first Bears coach in team history to be terminated during the season.

If there's one thing we know for sure, it's that this Chicago Bears team will be ready to play in Week 1. They might not execute Johnson or defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's call perfectly on every rep, but the discipline and accountability will be there. And, eventually, it will pay off in the standings.

“I’ve probably seen more bad football than I’ve seen good football over my time in this league,” Johnson said. “It’s just trying not to make the same mistakes as the people I’ve been around."

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