Some players just seem to have bad luck in their NFL careers. They never end up in a great situation regarding a solid coaching staff and great teammates. Dick Butkus spent only a couple of years with an aging George Halas before he was subjected to some of the worst head coaches in Bears history. Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas was stuck with Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski, Mike Pettine, and Hue Jackson. Ugly. DJ Moore understands those men as well as anybody.
He started his career playing for the pretty good Ron Rivera in Carolina. However, he was fired shortly after the receiver arrived. From there, it was Matt Rhule before coming to the Chicago Bears, where he got two years of Matt Eberflus. One can understand why he'd be skeptical of any head coach the organization hires at this point. Moore sat down to speak with Bleacher Report about the state of the Bears going into an important 2025 season. He was immediately asked for his impressions of the new coaching staff led by Ben Johnson.
This elicited an interesting opening response, followed by another that was semi-unprompted.
DJ Moore is already buying the culture, which is eye-opening.
He's had a reputation in the past of being reluctant to buy in right away. In hindsight, that is probably a good thing since he seemed to sense Rhule and Eberflus weren't right for the job. The fact that he is already speaking highly of Johnson's "culture" can't be overstated. If you win over DJ Moore, there is a strong probability that most of the locker room will follow his lead. Remember, the wide receiver is noted for being a great team guy behind closed doors. Winning him over was probably a top priority for Johnson and the staff. That objective was accomplished. Signs are already growing that the offense is coming together. Caleb Williams looks sharp. Moore is being used in more creative ways than ever. It could be a fun season for him.
