Bears coach Ben Johnson says his team's practice habits aren't
'championship-caliber'
[September 18, 2025]
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson called out his
team on Wednesday, saying his players aren't practicing hard enough.
“I think our practice habits are yet to reflect a championship-caliber
team,” he said. |
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson watches from the sidelines during
the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions in
Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) |
|
Asked specifically which practice habits aren't
“championship-caliber,” Johnson gave a lengthy list.
“We should be going to the football, finishing hard,” he said.
“We talk about it all the time with the offensive players that
our fundamentals, our finish and our technique, they need to
show up in walk-through, they need to show up on the practice
field. That’s how it shows up on game day. Simple things of how
do we properly block? How do we catch the ball? How do we block
after the catch? Ball security and things like that. It’s the
little things that you learn in youth league football that even
at this level, they make a huge difference.”
Johnson's comments came in the wake of a 52-21 rout at Detroit
on Sunday. The 52 points allowed were three shy of the franchise
record and the most since the Bears lost 55-14 to Green Bay in
Week 10 of the 2014 season.
Chicago has allowed 73 points over the past five quarters.
Minnesota rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter for
a 27-24 win with J.J. McCarthy leading the comeback in his first
start.
Johnson is in his first head coaching job. He was one of the
most sought-after candidates on the head coaching market
following a successful run as Detroit's offensive coordinator.
Chicago hosts Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys this week.
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