When Ben Johnson took over as the Chicago Bears‘ head coach in 2025, everybody knew changes were coming. It was only a question of how deep they’d go. The answer was that most of the entire staff was replaced, save for one or two minor assistants. Perhaps the most interesting decision by Johnson was to retain most of the team’s strength and conditioning and training staff. The only minor tweak made was promoting Pierre Ngo to head strength coach. Some are now wondering if that might’ve been a mistake, including Bears general manager Ryan Poles.
He admitted during a recent press conference that the team discussed solutions to the brutal series of injuries last year. Many of them were soft-tissue injuries, leading to speculation that the trainer and strength staff did a poor job of preparing guys for the rigors of the season. Poles admitted that a somewhat wonky schedule played a part, as did a drastic change in how Johnson conducted practices compared to Matt Eberflus. However, it’s clear the team is contemplating a shakeup in those areas.
Ryan Poles must find someone who is on Johnson’s wavelength.
It is pretty clear the training and strength staffs were not prepared for the head coach’s new approach to practice and preparation. Johnson was notorious for pushing players hard. Most of the coaches, like Ngo and Andre Tucker, worked under Eberflus and Matt Nagy. Those coaches weren’t known for conducting brutal practices. That is not to say they were too soft on guys, but it’s apparent that Johnson is a different animal. If there is a disconnect between trainers and coaches, then lots of injuries tend to follow.
The obvious question is, will Johnson make changes? It wouldn’t be the first time. Lovie Smith kept Dick Jauron’s training staff around in 2004 to maintain some continuity. However, the Bears were slammed by injuries that season, many of the soft-tissue variety. So, in early 2005, he fired the staff and brought in an expert from Buffalo, Rusty Jones. He drastically cut down on injuries that season, and the Bears went 11-5 and won the NFC North title. If you’re not sure a strength staff can handle what they’re being asked, find someone who will.
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| Player | Position | Primary Injury Type |
|---|---|---|
| Kyler Gordon | DB | Groin / Hamstring |
| Jaylon Johnson | CB | Groin / Calf |
| Tremaine Edmunds | LB | Groin |
| T.J. Edwards | LB | Hamstring |
| Amen Ogbongbemiga | LB | Hamstring |
| Nick McCloud | CB | Groin |
| Josh Blackwell | DB | Groin |
| Kyle Monangai | RB | Hamstring |
| Jaylon Jones | CB | Hamstring |
Whether the Bears follow through on it remains uncertain. Ryan Poles and the coaches likely won’t make a decision until after the draft in April.
