It was inevitable that Ben Johnson would make sweeping changes to the coaching staff this off-season. That is what happens when you change head coaches. The only question was how deep those changes would go. Chicago Bears fans got answers to that question when Johnson pulled his first surprise of the past month. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the team is parting ways with strength and conditioning coach Jim Arthur. Between 2006 and 2024, he held that position twice. Only a stint from 2016 through 2021 with Miami interrupted it.
All signs indicated he was highly thought of in the building. One would think Johnson would have no issue working with him. After all, they spent three seasons together with the Dolphins. This move suggests the Bears head coach isn't as taken with Arthur's work as some might expect.
Ben Johnson has valid reasons to move on.
While injuries are all directly attributed to the strength coach, it can't be ignored that the Bears had 24, 15, and 13 players land on Injured Reserve over the past three seasons. That doesn't include several missed games for other nagging injuries. There is also the fact that this team was pushed around way too often at the line of scrimmage. Perhaps Ben Johnson hopes to find somebody who can help mitigate the injury woes while also helping them get stronger. He saw the value it had during his time in Detroit.
He could consider a few names to replace Johnson. Morris Henry is the assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Lions, and David Puloka is the strength coach in Miami. He and Johnson worked together for years. Harold Nash holds the position in Dallas. He was in Detroit when the Bears head coach got there in 2019. Perhaps he could also dip into the college ranks as he has for other assistant positions.
