If there is one thing we’ve learned about Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson, it is that he will not be a “pat on the shoulder pads” type of guy. He has a certain standard in mind for this football team and everybody is expected to meet it. That goes for players and coaches alike. No compromises. No grading on a curve. What happened last year means nothing. That team is gone. If the Bears of 2026 want respect, it will be earned, and that starts on the practice field this month. Team veterans already know this. The incoming rookie class? Well, their education is almost at hand.

Johnson was asked on Friday what he has told the rookies as they gathered for minicamps this weekend. What does he want them to learn? The head coach made one thing clear. How they practiced and prepared in college is about to change.

“Yeah, well, I think all these guys, and it’s regardless of draft pick or undrafted rookie, it really doesn’t matter how they got here. We’re all looking for competition, and Ryan (Poles) and I alluded to that a couple weeks ago after the draft.

The expectation for them is to, once again, learn our way of doing things, how we go about our business in the meeting room, walk through practice field, what that looks like, and as soon as they pick that up, then they’ll really be able to compete for what is their niche this year. How can they provide value for this football team? Is it special teams? Is it competing for playing time on offense or defense? That’s really up to them, but learning our way of life is first and foremost.”

Once again, Johnson showed that he has a vision for this team. There is a specific way he expects the Bears to prepare. That includes working out, film study, and, of course, practice. Everything must be approached with passion and purpose. If that doesn’t appeal to you, be prepared not to be around long.

Ben Johnson continues to show he understands football.

One problem that persisted with previous head coaches over the past decade is that they never quite succeeded at giving the Bears an identity. John Fox was vague on his intentions from the moment he arrived. Matt Nagy clearly wanted an aggressive, attacking team, but lacked both the personnel and the offensive expertise to implement it. Matt Eberflus seemed content to let the personnel dictate which direction he would go with that, and unsurprisingly, that direction proved to be nowhere.

Not Ben Johnson. From the moment he arrived, the head coach made it crystal clear what type of team he expected. He wanted a physical, violent, aggressive group built around running the football successfully. Simple and easy to understand. Once the Bears managed to find that identity early last season, things fell into place. They started playing good football and winning games. It wasn’t always perfect, but everybody knew their roles, which made life easier. It will be up to this rookie class to learn how to apply their own talents to that identity.

The good news is that the Bears sought out such players.

Every draft pick and undrafted free agent exhibited physical and mental traits that Ben Johnson felt would mesh well with the team’s culture. Dillon Thieneman had the perfect mix of intelligence and aggressiveness that Dennis Allen wants on defense. Logan Jones and Sam Roush are both physical and savvy blockers who delight in getting their hands dirty at the line of scrimmage. Zavion Thomas brings a team-first mindset that has allowed him to excel both as a returner and a jack-of-all-trades weapon on offense. Keyshaun Elliott and Malik Muhammad were both vocal leaders, while Jordan Van Den Berg played with a non-stop motor.

The harsh reality is that not everybody in this rookie group will succeed in the NFL. It is something that is difficult to accept. More than half of these young men will fail. Coach Johnson sought to make it clear that if you want to give yourself the best possible odds, then it starts with embracing what it means to be a Bear. Those who learn and accept this identity quickly understand what it means to be a professional.

The Chicago Bears couldn’t hide their excitement when they drafted Iowa center Logan Jones in the 2nd round last month. Head coach Ben Johnson admitted to feeling smitten with the young blocker from the moment he started watching Jones’ tape. He saw athleticism, intelligence, competitiveness, and plenty of polish. Everything about him as a player reflected what the Bears want from their players. That includes a deep love of the game and a willingness to play team-first football.

It appears Jones had no intention of arriving quietly at his first practice either. From the moment he hit the field for rookie minicamps, people took notice of his jersey number. It wasn’t #65 as he’d worn for years in college. He’d switch to something a little more…prestigious. That was #54. The iconic digit made famous by Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher was back on a Bears field for the first time since 2012. Jones stated that he chose the number both to honor the all-time great and also set the tone for others in the locker room.

“To see that number out in practice, it lets everybody think, ‘Oh, that was Brian Urlacher’s number.’ It’s kind of supporting his legacy and letting everybody see the legacy he left.”

Logan Jones certainly got everybody’s attention.

The Bears have the most retired jerseys of any NFL team to date at 14. Mike Ditka’s #69 was the last to earn that honor in 2013. Since then, the organization has been reluctant to do any more because there are only so many numbers allowed on a jersey, and a roster requires 90 players every training camp. That is why Urlacher and other Bears legends have seen theirs remain active. By the sound of things, the linebacker didn’t mind Jones asking for it. He’s more than happy to pass it on to a new generation.

This might also be a smart maneuver on Jones’ part. Historically, you’ll find that numbers in the 50s range worn by centers often lead to considerable success. NFL champion Mike Pyle wore #50 in the 1960s. Six-time Pro Bowler Olin Kreutz wore #57. Drew Dalman wore #52 last season and made the Pro Bowl. It’s been a fairly lucky range for centers in this organization. Logan Jones is plenty good enough to further that streak, and he’ll have some extra juice from Urlacher’s shadow along the way.

It is time someone built on this legacy.

The truth is, the #54 wallowed in obscurity for decades in Bears history. No players of note wore it aside from the usual backups or temporary starters. Urlacher changed that when he arrived in 2000. It feels long past time for someone else to add to the legacy of this jersey, as multiple generations have done for its sister number, #55. It started with Doug Buffone, then moved to Otis Wilson, and finally to Lance Briggs. It would be incredibly fun if things took a unique twist by a center making the number relevant again compared to another linebacker.

Logan Jones is more than capable of making that happen. Many experts believe he was the best center in his draft class. Though on the older side, he has 51 games of experience and plenty of talent to excel at the NFL level. Combine this with the presence of head coach Ben Johnson, and you have the makings of a long career. One thing we’ve already learned is that Jones doesn’t feel overwhelmed by the idea of wearing Urlacher’s number. He’s thrilled at the prospect, and that is a key first step.

So remember all the conspiracy theories going back years that NFL referees have some kind of vendetta against the Chicago Bears? It always feels like they don’t make calls in their favor, and way too often, they make them against the Bears, especially in crucial moments. Naturally, most people rolled their eyes, thinking it was just fans being paranoid. There is no such thing as referee bias against specific teams. Yet as actual conspiracies have been proven true in recent years, it seems only fitting that one would be in the NFL.

In this case, it appears Bears fans were not crazy. Analytics expert Warren Sharp recently became aware of something called the “Bears Tax.” It was an ongoing theory that referees were unfairly slanting penalty calls in favor of Chicago’s opponents. Like any logic-driven person, Sharp decided to look into the numbers, expecting to disprove this theory. Instead, he ran into something staggering. Not only have the Bears been abnormally penalized, but this has been going on for a long time.

Over the past four years, Bears opponents have had the fewest penalty yards called against them in the NFL. On the flip side, no team has more net penalty yards against them since 2022, and it’s not even close. Sharp broke down the numbers.

The Chicago Bears finally have some validation.

Granted, penalties alone won’t explain why this team has been bad over the past few years. Still, it is hard enough to win in the NFL when calls are fair. Having the refs constantly make your life harder by tilting everything in favor of your opponents. The question is, why is it like this? The Bears don’t have a bad reputation. They’ve never had incidents with refs aside from the major controversy in Pittsburgh a few years ago. This feels like little more than a group of people having a subconscious need to make life harder for this team.

For once, it didn’t work last year. Chicago overcame the penalty problems to win the division anyway, going 11-6 and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. Considering how much of a ratings draw the Bears became, you’d have to think the NFL might start recognizing this team is good for business. Maybe they’ll push the refs to be a bit more lenient with the penalty calls. Too much to hope for? Probably. Barring that, the best thing to do is keep winning in spite of the bias. Make it part of your motivation.

Playing through the refs is nothing new.

Plenty of great teams overcame an obvious crusade from the zebras to still achieve their goals. The Baltimore Ravens (2000) and Seattle Seahawks (2013) both won the Super Bowl despite being the most penalized teams in the NFL in those respective seasons. The Kansas City Chiefs reached the AFC championship in 2018 while dealing with that same problem. It is all about having the mental discipline not to let setbacks distract you from the primary task: winning the football game.

We saw glimpses of that from the Chicago Bears last season. Their iconic victory against the Green Bay Packers in overtime last December happened despite 10 penalties. The same was true of their big revenge victory in Washington, where they had nine called against them. The Bears’ resilience was evident, particularly as the season progressed. They already had beef with the NFL over the compensatory pick issue this year. Knowing the refs are out to get them should only fan the flames.

The Chicago Bears revamped their wide receiver room this offseason in the wake of some losses. D.J. Moore was traded to the Buffalo Bills, while Olamide Zaccheaus left in free agency to return to Atlanta. First, the team signed veteran free agent Kalif Raymond, who has deep ties to head coach Ben Johnson from their time together in Detroit. Then the Bears grabbed speedy Zavion Thomas in the 3rd round of the draft. Together with Rome Odunze, Luther Burden and Jahdae Walker, it feels like the Bears have a nice assortment of talents to work with.

Johnson said as much during his opening press conference before rookie minicamps. He likes the varied skill sets each receiver brings to the table. It gives the Bears plenty of options when formulating offensive ideas. However, Johnson also indicated the team might not be done adding to the position. He feels you can never have enough competition, and depth is still a focus for them as preparations for training camp get underway.

Ben Johnson and the Bears have some options to explore.

Scotty Miller

This one is the most obvious, since the Bears already brought him in to try out at their rookie minicamps. Miller was a prominent slot target for Tom Brady during the 2020 season, helping Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl. He has a good blend of speed and quickness, two things Johnson seems to covet. Sadly, injuries have hampered his career, causing him to bounce around the league.

Gabriel Davis

Davis looked like an emerging weapon during his first four seasons in Buffalo, regularly averaging around 700 yards and six touchdowns. Leaving the team for Jacksonville in 2024 was probably a mistake. Injuries limited him to ten games. He returned to Buffalo last year but didn’t get the same playing time. Davis has good size and underrated vertical ability. He can contribute to the run game as well.

Juju Smith-Schuster

Though he never quite reached the same heights after leaving Pittsburgh, Smith-Schuster has been a solid veteran when given opportunities. He is a savvy route-runner with reliable hands who can create opportunities for himself. If Ben Johnson is focused on finding somebody who can work from the slot. Smith-Schuster has proven he can do that over most of his career, even though he’s lost some of his explosiveness.

Hunter Renfrow

Speaking of slot targets, Renfrow has been overlooked for a long time as somebody who can play that role. He did it very well for the Raiders a few years ago. For whatever reason, teams haven’t wanted to give him more opportunities. This is probably due to his mix of smaller size and average speed. Still, his experience alone should make for a nice depth option the Bears can lean on in a pinch.

Curtis Samuel

While he never lived up to his billing as a 2nd round pick, Samuel has carved out a long career as a solid depth receiver for several teams. He offers considerable speed and versatility, able to catch passes and also take hand-offs as a runner. That would immediately appeal to somebody like Johnson. Having one guy like that is nice. Having three? That creates chaos, and this coach loves chaos.