Bears Player Calls Ben Johnson A Maniac

If you look at the history of the Chicago Bears, you'll find that their most successful periods came under the direction of a...let's say...colorful head coach—men who had loud personalities and even louder voices, on the field and in the locker room. George Halas might've been Papa Bear, but he had a reputation for a short temper and an aggressive personality. Mike Ditka was the same way. His tirades in Chicago were legendary. Jim McMahon took to calling him "Sybil" after a female character from a 1970s TV movie who had multiple personality disorder. You just never knew when he'd explode. Week by week, we're beginning to learn that Ben Johnson might fit into that category as well.

The Bears' head coach made some headlines two weeks ago when he had a minor disagreement with a sideline reporter at the end of the first half against Las Vegas. He seemed to take one of her comments the wrong way and bristled a bit. He later apologized for his conduct, and the incident was dismissed. One person who wasn't surprised by that was Kevin Byard. The veteran safety has gotten a full taste of Johnson for the past few months and is convinced the coach is crazy.

He explained his reasoning on Barstool Chicago.

Ben Johnson has more than lived up to his reputation.

The rumors around him came in two parts. He was an offensive wizard known for his boundless creativity and also one of the most intense individuals you'd ever meet on game day. All you have to do is watch the clips of him on the sideline, and you can see it—the stone cold glare, no smiling, all mixed with occasional explosions of emotion when things either go really good or really bad. Players are learning that the best thing to do is to avoid him during games unless absolutely necessary.

Mind you, Ben Johnson doesn't do this on purpose. It is who he is. He's wired that way. The guy takes the game deadly serious. He doesn't just want to win. He wants to dominate. That means having a ruthless personality. There is no room for jokes or levity. Celebration can wait until after the final whistle. If you get caught giving any less than 100% before that, don't expect to see his good side anytime soon.