CHICAGO — Ben Johnson is over the honeymoon phase. After leading the Chicago Bears to an 11-6 record and their first playoff victory in 15 years, the second-year head coach wants the city to stop talking about the past. As the 2026 NFL offseason heats up, Johnson is making it clear that last year’s trophy is already collecting dust.
The 2025 campaign was a fever dream for Bears fans. Chicago secured its first NFC North title in seven years and ended a five-year playoff drought. Under Johnson’s leadership, the team finally looked like a powerhouse again. But while fans are still celebrating at local bars, the man behind the headset is already grinding film for the fall.
Johnson didn’t just win; he flipped the script on a franchise used to disappointment. However, he knows how quickly a winning culture can rot. History is a harsh teacher in Chicago. Back in 2018, the Bears grabbed the division title only to stumble to an 8-8 finish the following year. That pattern of missing the postseason after a division win has haunted the team the last three times they wore the crown.
The North isn’t getting any softer. With the Lions, Packers, and Vikings all making aggressive moves in free agency, the margin for error has vanished. Johnson spent his first year proving he belonged at the helm. Now, he has to prove the Bears can stay there. The “monumental task” he describes involves keeping a young roster from buying into their own hype before the draft even begins.
“It’s been a long offseason in terms of, you go downtown, or you go somewhere, and everyone’s patting you on the back and telling you what a great, great job you did. You don’t want to hear it. You don’t want to hear it anymore, all right? It was great for the first week, but now our sights are turned.”
— Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears Head Coach
The coaching staff is already turning up the heat. Recent additions like Offensive Coordinator Press Taylor and veteran coach Eric Studesville suggest Johnson is looking for fresh eyes to evolve the scheme. Quarterback Caleb Williams, coming off a season where he notched seven fourth-quarter comebacks, will be expected to take an even larger leap in year three.
Chicago fans might want to enjoy the 2025 highlights a little longer, but the doors at Halas Hall are closed to nostalgia. Johnson is instilling a culture where a Wild Card win is a baseline, not a destination. If the players don’t feel the pressure now, they certainly will when they hit the grass for training camp. The goal isn’t just to make the playoffs; it’s to avoid the “one-hit wonder” label that has plagued this franchise for a generation.
