Super Bowl Winning Coach is Bullish on Chicago Bears' Future

The Bears outperformed all expectations in year one of the Ben Johnson era. One legendary coach thinks it could be the start of something special.

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson watches game play against the Los Angeles Rams during the second quarter of an NFC Divisional Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bears outperformed virtually all expectations set out for them this season. They went 11-6 and won their first playoff game in 15 years. They made undeniable strides in Ben Johnson's first year at the helm.

Despite their progress, some believe they were too reliant on miracle finishes and didn't display enough sustainable success to be considered anything but a one-year wonder. Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden is certainly not one of those people.

In fact, he seems to think the Bears look like a surefire wagon.

Jon Gruden has fully jumped onto the Bears bandwagon moving forward pic.twitter.com/C42VkwxZse

— Viva La Stool (@VivaLaStool) January 22, 2026

Gruden seems to be very high on Chicago's wildly talented group of offensive playmakers. It's not difficult to see where he's coming from. The Bears have one of the best young cores in the league.

Gruden might work for Barstool Sports now, but he isn't merely clip farming. He wouldn't give the Bears his staunch support if he wasn't bought in to what they're building.

His opinion shouldn't be ignored, either. He turned the Raiders offense into a powerhouse and led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in his first year in Tampa Bay. Gruden was one of the NFL's top analysts and most popular commentators for nearly a decade. He knows what he's looking at when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, and he believes the Bears can be a certifiable contender, with one caveat.

He mentioned that they need to add an infusion of talent to their pass-rush on the defensive side of the ball.

I'm confident the Bears' front office recognized the same weakness when analyzing their play this season. I honestly don't think it would be possible to make a different assessment. They tied for the seventh-fewest sacks in the league with 35, and struggled mightily to get consistent pressure on opposing QBs.

Luckily for the Bears, the defensive line looks like one of the major strengths of the 2026 NFL Draft. That will give them a good chance to fortify the pass rush, both on the edge and interior. It's no wonder many analysts have Chicago targeting a defensive lineman in the first round.

I know some have questioned their winning formula this season and believe they are due for much regression in the turnover department. That's true, but they should have a much more talented overall defense if they address their needs similarly to how they attacked the offensive side of the ball last offseason.

Gruden certainly seems to believe that's how it's going to play out.

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