The mark of a good head coach is getting players to buy into what they’re selling. Make no mistake. Not every player is gung-ho about such things. Many are skeptical, at least at first. Some prefer to maintain a degree of distance, working on their game in their own ways. Ben Johnson faced that challenge from the moment he took over as the Chicago Bears’ head coach. It was particularly difficult because this was an extremely embittered locker room, which had been affected by what happened with the previous coaching staff last year.
Johnson’s first step was convincing guys how important spring practices were. While most were not mandatory, all of them would set the tone for how good this team could be. Probably the hardest name to convince was Montez Sweat. To the surprise of many, the former Pro Bowl defensive end showed up for OTAs and minicamps. Historically, he has never done that, dating back to his years in Washington.
“I feel like it was important for a new scheme, especially with a complex scheme like this, just to come in, learn the defense.”
While Johnson didn’t take credit for this development, his comment certainly hinted that his talks with Sweat in the spring played a big part in it happening.
“Met with him in the springtime and everything that we sat down and we talked about is exactly what he’s been about. I think that speaks volumes for his character. He was very disappointed with how the season went last year as a lot of the guys in the locker room were both individually and as a team, and felt such a way, so compelled, that he was here throughout the springtime, which is not something that he’s done in the past.”
Ben Johnson seems able to bridge that crucial gap with players.
Plenty of coaches can tell players what to do. It is the nature of their job. Few can genuinely converse with him, explaining why things must be done a certain way. Matt Nagy always called it the “whys.” He had the right idea, but never seemed able to convey things properly enough. In only a few months that Ben Johnson has been in charge, there is a growing list of evidence to suggest he can communicate like that. Getting aloof veterans like Sweat to fully commit is no easy feat. Guys have brought intensity and effort to training camp while the coaches provide the firm hand of direction. Everything done has a purpose. If guys do things the right way, the Bears will start winning football games.
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