Ben Johnson was asked about the Chicago Bears' achieving a winning record a few weeks ago and how that felt. After all, it was only the second time in over a decade that had been accomplished. One would think the head coach would be excited about the progress. Not Johnson. He made it clear the winning record meant little if the Bears didn't turn it into a playoff berth. That was the focus. After crushing Cleveland and pulling off their wild comeback over Green Bay, the Bears officially made the playoffs with 11 wins, the exact number Johnson said it would probably take.
Now he's happy, right?
Not based on his response in a recent interview with Tony Dungy. The Hall of Fame coach sat down to talk with Johnson about his team's remarkable turnaround this year, their resilience in tight situations, and excitement about the future. Johnson was asked what it meant to him to get the Bears, who've struggled for years, back into the playoffs. His response was anything but joyous or exuberant. From his perspective, it was merely the first step. There are other goals still in play, and the Bears can't afford to relax.
Ben Johnson understands the fundamental truth of coaching.
The moment you're satisfied is the moment you're doomed to fail. You can never, ever be content with just making the playoffs. A responsible head coach always knows he must set the goals even higher. It's winning the division, it's chasing a home playoff game, and it's winning the Super Bowl. Never let the players believe they should be happy achieving just one of those goals. While fans are free to celebrate the success of a postseason berth, the head coach is responsible for keeping an eye on the ultimate prize.
This reminds you how natural a leader Ben Johnson is. He has demonstrated a mixture of intelligence and common sense from the moment he took over. Many head coaches grow too focused on specific things. Fix the offense or defense. Get 10 wins. Worry about the rest later. The best ones understand how to keep their players hungry. By never being satisfied yourself, it will bleed into the rest of the locker room. Johnson is a master at that, and it should pay off big down the line.
