Ben Johnson knew he had plenty to clean up when he took over as Chicago Bears head coach. It wasn't just the offense. That went without saying. His job went far beyond that. This team had an identity problem, not to mention a crisis of confidence. Such things happen when you have one winning season since 2013. First on the agenda was getting players to buy into a new mentality. Johnson believes one of the most important things was learning never to show weakness on the field. Doing so in the locker room is fine. Players should feel safe airing their grievances behind closed doors. Never do it to the opponents. It invites disaster.
The first player Johnson started with was Caleb Williams. No surprise there. He's the quarterback, the most visible player on the team. Last season, Williams had instances of looking dejected or exhausted. While Johnson understands the reasoning behind those moments, the young quarterback must learn to control them. However, Williams wasn't alone in getting lectured on better body language. Wide receiver D.J. Moore admitted he got an earful about it during meetings.
“Just don’t do it," Moore answered about what johnson told him. "Just keep it inside. Talk about it later. Just don’t put it on film. Don’t put it on TV.”
Ben Johnson isn't sending mixed signals.
He has made his intent crystal clear from the beginning. Williams and Moore aren't being singled out, mind you. Ben Johnson conveyed this message to the entire locker room. However, they were highlighted because they're two of the supposed leaders in the locker room. If they don't fall in line on this, nobody will. This is another reminder that Johnson knows what he's doing. Get the right players to buy in, and everybody else will. Moore had some questionable moments last season, from slumping his shoulders to walking off the field during a pivotal moment of a game. Nobody thinks the wide receiver is a quitter. Still, he does tend to let his emotions show outwardly at inopportune times. Johnson might be the first coach to teach him about controlling it.
