The movie “Draft Day” starring Kevin Costner, isn’t a favorite among critics or casual moviegoers. However, football fans love it. While not entirely realistic, it provides an amazing glimpse of what goes into a pre-draft process and how it can have long-term consequences for a franchise. During the pivotal moment of the draft, Costner’s character, Sonny Weaver, stuns the NFL when he takes pass rusher Vontae Mack over Wisconsin star quarterback Bo Callahan. After leaving the room, he leaves behind a slip of paper with a single note written on it: “Vontae Mack, no matter what.” It spoke to the value of conviction even in the face of mounting public pressure. It appears Kevin Warren had his own such moment these past couple of weeks.
The Chicago Bears team president spoke to the media about how the organization hired new head coach Ben Johnson. He shared an amazing story about how he was at a local restaurant when he received a complimentary drink with a note attached to it. Just three words were inscribed: Hire Ben Johnson.
It gets better. The unnamed fan soon revealed himself. His name is Jerry Steiner. It was he and his girlfriend who sent the note. Warren was gracious enough to send back a pair of shots in return. The Bears president plans to give the note to Johnson.
It’s likely Kevin Warren knew the outcome before that note arrived.
Whispers suggest the Bears knew Johnson was their guy as far back as Christmas. Remember, they’d been heavily researching candidates since after Thanksgiving. From there, it was a process of seeing if the coach was on the same page. Everything came together during the virtual meeting last week. Johnson indicated he wanted the job. The only assurance he asked for was that he and Ryan Poles would be free to run the football operations themselves without interference from Warren or ownership. He got it.
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Just 48 hours after Detroit’s season ended, Johnson was hired as the Bears’ head coach. He is the 19th in franchise history, and the one many hope will finally lead them back into the light. Kevin Warren has always been a person who dreams big. He wanted to make a splash. If both Poles and the fans wanted Johnson, he was duty-bound to do everything he could to get it done. That required a strong pitch and a hefty contract. For once, the president delivered.
