Head coach Ben Johnson never hid from his vision for the Chicago Bears. He wanted to build an intense, violent, and physical football team. To him, that was how you found consistent success in the NFL. The mentally and physically toughest lasted the longest. To do that, you had to start with practice. Johnson reinstated a style of practice the Bears hadn’t seen in years. Every session demanded constant effort, energy, and full contact. There would be no holding back. Players were expected to get after it.
Some have grown concerned about this approach lately, though. The Bears have suffered several injury setbacks in training camp this year, headlined by big names like safety Coby Bryant and wide receiver Luther Burden. Is the heavy contact in these practices really worth it if so many key players struggle to stay on the field in camp? Johnson was asked about this in an interview with Hoge & Jahns. He remained undaunted. In his mind, the NFC North division is often dictated by the team that is the most physical.
The only way to get the Bears ready is by callousing them on the practice field.
Ben Johnson is hardly the only coach who thinks this way.
There is no getting around reality. Football is a violent sport. It requires a specific brand of toughness to play at a high level. As brilliant as he can be as a coach, there comes a time when great play calls and game plans go out the window. Sometimes you just have to impose your will on the opponent. The Bears haven’t really done that for most of the past decade. Somewhere along the way, they lost their identity. Johnson is the first to really push for a return to what Chicago football was known for throughout the 20th century.
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It’s not like Ben Johnson is alone in this thought process. Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick was a major proponent of physical practices during his Hall of Fame career.
“My personal coaching philosophy, my mentality, has always been to make things as difficult as possible for players in practice, however bad we can make them, I make them.”
The endgame was obvious. If you can make practices as tough as possible, the games will be easy by comparison. Johnson already has proof of concept. You can’t say the physical camp last year didn’t benefit the Bears in 2025. They overcame a 0-2 start to the season and engineered seven 4th quarter comebacks en route to their first division title in seven years. Then they won their first playoff game in 15 years.
Johnson will not relent.
Players get hurt in football. That is the nature of the game. Yes, physical practices run the risk of creating added injuries. However, Johnson believes the higher risk breeds higher rewards. This approach builds a much tougher football team. One that is better prepared to handle the rigors of a long, grinding season. For years, it felt like the Bears always seemed to fall apart late in seasons. At one point there were routinely chided for always falling apart in December. That was partly because their bodies and minds couldn’t handle the strain anymore.
Johnson is determined on one thing. If the Bears do fail to win a championship, it won’t be because they weren’t prepared to pay the price. There hasn’t been any complaining from the players. They’ve been told from the start that practices would be grueling. It’s not like Johnson ambushed them. They are fully aware of what is being asked of them going in. That clarity makes the toll easier to pay.
The identity is set. Johnson will not deviate from it out of fear. He believes down to his bones that these practices will give the Bears the best chance to win a Super Bowl. The best thing to do is trust his process.
