Chris Simms played in the NFL for years and has covered it since retiring. His father is also a two-time Super Bowl champion. So the former quarterback knows a thing or two about head coaches and what separates the great ones from everybody else. There are several factors, but the overarching connection among them is a borderline unhealthy obsession with football. They are so dialed in on every single thing their players and coaches do that it comes across as psychotic behavior. Simms believes Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson fits into this category.

Mind you, Simms doesn’t mean this in a bad way. He explained to CHGO that such a mentality as Johnson showed during the 2025 season is often what many future greats have shown.

“He’s a psycho – and all good coaches are psychos,” said NBC analyst Chris Simms, a former quarterback. “(Kyle) Shanahan is a psycho. (Sean) McVay is psycho. (Mike) Vrabel’s a psycho. (Bill) Belichick was psycho. Bill Walsh was a psycho. Bill Parcells was a psycho. You got to be a psycho. Period. I think you guys see that in the press conferences. And I mean psycho in a good way. It’s all about football. It’s all about pushing buttons to be better at football.”

Those coaches prove that it isn’t about background. Offense? Defense? That doesn’t matter. It comes down to how you motivate and how disciplined you are with players. It’s about getting them to play smart, detailed football. That requires a level of obsession that many coaches don’t have.

Ben Johnson already has the attention to detail.

Bears players joked and mildly complained from the outset about the head coach’s constant pestering about every small thing they did wrong in practice. Nothing was allowed to slide. If you didn’t execute a play how he wanted, you’d be sent to the sideline, and somebody else would be brought in. The standard was set from the beginning. There would be no grading on a curve. Either you could do the job or not. This keen eye would carry over into his play calling.

Johnson quickly earned a reputation for masterfully setting up defenses throughout the game. He would run a specific type of play multiple times. Then in the 4th quarter, he’d show the same play again, only this time it would do something completely different, often resulting in a touchdown. The game-winning score to D.J. Moore against Green Bay in the wild card round was one such example. His razor-sharp memory made it possible. This is a quality you often find in other elite offensive minds. Sean McVay is one such example.

Johnson also understands the value of authenticity.

You’ll find that the worst thing a head coach can do in the NFL is try to be somebody they’re not. The most successful ones are true to themselves. They show the players who they are and what motivates them to be great. That honesty of character is often the quickest way to earn a locker room’s trust. This is something many people doubted Ben Johnson could do. They saw him as too scientific and mathematical. He would never understand how to connect with people. It didn’t take long to realize the opposite was true. Few coaches had a better sense of the moment when motivating players than Johnson. His shirtless celebration after beating Philadelphia was a perfect example.

Great coaches always have an uncanny knack for this kind of thing. They don’t deliver the same cookie-cutter speech after every win. They understand that certain games and opponents mean more than others and craft their motivations accordingly. Everybody remembers Jimmy Johnson’s iconic post-game speech after beating the San Francisco 49ers in the 1992 NFC Championship. He knew the caliber of opponent his team had just beaten, and how brutal the climb back to the mountaintop had been for Dallas.

Johnson also has an added bonus that other “psychos” enjoyed.

That is a say over the roster composition. Bill Parcells often clashed with owners and general managers because they wouldn’t give him final say on the players he coached. “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.” It was a concise explanation for a complex problem. Many coaches lack the eye for talent. However, you’ll often find that the psycho coaches Simms referenced don’t have that issue.

It’s still early, but there are already signs Johnson is in that same tier. Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and Kyle Monangai were all instant hits as rookies this year. If that is a taste of things to come, the Bears are in far more capable hands than they could’ve ever dreamed.

The Bears are promoting passing game coordinator Press Taylor to offensive coordinator. Taylor replaces Declan Doyle, who left for Baltimore. Ben Johnson now has a new top assistant on offense.

This is a straight in-house move. Taylor worked with Johnson last season and already knows the system. He also has prior experience as an offensive coordinator with Jacksonville before 2024. The Bears are choosing familiarity and continuity rather than starting over.

Another clear effect of this move is stability on the staff. Antwaan Randle El remains in place as wide receivers coach and assistant head coach. The Bears did not reshuffle major roles around Caleb Williams. That matters for a young quarterback entering another year of development.

Taylor is the offensive coordinator. But Ben Johnson will call the plays. The offensive structure stays intact.

What Press Taylor Brings and Where He Falls Short

Taylor has value as a teacher and communicator. He is known for his work with quarterbacks and his role in weekly game prep. He understands route concepts, timing, and how to explain the offense to players. That is not nothing. For a young offense, that part matters.

Where concerns show up is on game day. Taylor has not built a strong reputation for in-game feel or adjusting once the original plan breaks down. His past work suggests he is better suited as a second offensive voice rather than another primary architect. That does not mean he is bad at his job. It means there is a ceiling to what he should be asked to handle.

The Bears are not handing Taylor full control of the offense. Ben Johnson will still call the plays. Johnson’s system, sequencing, and feel will drive the offense. Taylor’s role is to support that vision, not replace it.

Taylor is also the younger brother of Bengals head coach Zac Taylor.

Why This Makes Sense for the Bears

From a Bears point of view, this move is logical. Caleb Williams keeps the same language and structure. Johnson keeps a trusted voice in the room. The staff avoids too much disruption in a season where progress matters more than reinvention.

If Ben Johnson is calling the plays, the offensive coordinator title is secondary. Johnson earned trust with his work. If this is the assistant he wants, he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Taylor does not need to be elite at everything. He needs to support Johnson and help the offense function week to week.

For the Bears, this is a steady decision. Not flashy. Not risky. Just stable.

The NFL Just Motivated Ben Johnson

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has spent the past several days vetting possible candidates for the team’s offensive coordinator position. Declan Doyle departed for the same job in Baltimore, getting the chance to call plays and work with two-time MVP Lamar Jackson. After meeting with Arizona passing game coordinator Connor Senger and some other undisclosed candidates, Johnson elected to keep the job in-house. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the team was promoting passing game coordinator Press Taylor to the position.

It isn’t a huge surprise. Taylor already has experience in the job, having served as offensive coordinator for three seasons in Jacksonville. He didn’t call plays during that run. Head coach Doug Pederson did, so he’s familiar with the responsibilities being asked of him. He’s also just 38, meaning he’s young and should bring fresh ideas to the table, as Johnson wants. This is a situation where you must trust the head coach. Johnson watched Taylor work for months this past season. If he thinks the coach is up to the task, then so be it.

That said, giving Press Taylor the job is a gamble.

Some people may not remember, but the young assistant came to Chicago with a bit of a reputation. During his previous two stops in the NFL, he’d gained significant influence over the development of young quarterbacks. There was Carson Wentz in Philadelphia and Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. In both cases, the quarterback started strong, performing at a Pro Bowl level. However, by the third season in each case, said quarterbacks fell off a cliff. Many blamed Taylor for these debacles.

Considering the vital stage Caleb Williams is at in his own development, it seems like a considerable risk putting him in the hands of somebody with that kind of reputation. Then again, it’s fair to question whether Press Taylor was a convenient scapegoat for the shortcomings of Pederson, who’d been the one calling the shots in both cases. This uncertainty makes the promotion difficult to sell. Never mind the fact that Johnson might’ve had some bias involved in the decision.

Johnson might be doing a favor for an old friend.

One fact that shouldn’t be overlooked is that Taylor is the brother of Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. He and Johnson worked together for four years as assistants with the Miami Dolphins. They’re good friends. Taylor even tried to hire Johnson away from Detroit in 2020, willing to resort to offering a defensive position just to get him on the staff. It is fair to at least wonder whether this move by the Bears is a favor from Johnson to his friend, giving his younger brother another opportunity to elevate his profile.

Is that overthinking it? Probably. The truth is, Press Taylor carries a mixed legacy. He helped Philadelphia win a Super Bowl in 2017 and elevated Lawrence to his first and, to date, only playoff win. Johnson doesn’t seem like the type of coach who would make this sort of decision for short-sighted reasons. He believes Taylor has something to offer this team. We will soon find out what that is.

Ian Cunningham had endured several near-misses in his pursuit of a general manager job after four seasons with the Chicago Bears. Finally, the assistant GM got his opportunity. The Atlanta Falcons brought him aboard as their new general manager, handing him the keys to a team he grew up watching. It is a great story that has a chance to become the selling point of a book one day. Unfortunately, it appears Cunningham won’t get the chance to enjoy the moment any further. Barely a week after taking over, his team was hit with an ugly controversy.

News broke that James Pears Jr., the Falcons 1st round pick from last year, has been arrested on domestic violence charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking. That is about as bad as it gets. What makes it so much worse for Atlanta is that this is the same player the team traded up to get last April, giving up their 1st round pick in 2026 to make it happen. He’s supposed to be a cornerstone of their future. Now that future is on very shaky ground.

Ian Cunningham must clean up another Ryan Pace mess.

Another piece of news arrived from Atlanta earlier in the day. Former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who’d been with the Falcons as a personnel director since 2022, was released. That became almost inevitable after his friend, Terry Fontenot, had been fired as GM. Make no mistake. That Pearce pick had Pace’s fingerprints all over it. Few general managers loved trading up in the 1st round more than him. In seven drafts between 2015 and 2021, Pace traded up for a player three times.

It seems rather fitting that the Falcons overdrafted a quarterback (Michael Penix Jr.) and made an unnecessary trade up for a pass rusher in his final two years there. Now Ian Cunningham is left cleaning up the mess, just like Poles did in Chicago. It isn’t an enviable situation. Not only does he have to deal with this Pearch fiasco, but he must also try to find a quarterback in a draft class that doesn’t have any. He might be regretting his decision to leave at the moment.

The Bears still await a decision on the Cunningham comp picks.

Initial media reports indicated that Chicago would not receive any because Matt Ryan, the former quarterback, had been named the Falcons’ president of football operations. Since that is considered the top “football decision-making” position, Cunningham’s move from assistant GM to GM was a lateral one, despite the title change. However, Ryan has admitted multiple times that he won’t be making any roster decisions. Those will all be Cunningham, offering unquestionable proof that he is running the show down there.

That offers some hope that the NFL might review his contract and allow the Bears to get their comp picks after all. A resolution to this issue is expected by March, before the start of the new league year. Receiving them would give Chicago eight picks in each of the next two drafts, providing more opportunities to continue supplementing their roster with young, affordable talent. Cunningham would’ve preferred it this way.

The Chicago Bears head into somewhat uncharted territory this April. After three consecutive years of holding a pick in the top 10 of the draft, they will be sitting at #25 this year. It leaves people wondering how general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson should approach it. The team has a clear set of needs on their roster, going from left tackle to edge rusher, defensive tackle, and safety. They remain in the evaluation process, and it’s not yet clear how the board is likely to unfold on night one.

However, we can lean on history to get a feel for how it goes. Here’s what we know about the 2026 class. It is light on quarterbacks. As of writing this, only Fernando Mendoza is a surefire 1st rounder. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is a possibility, but far from a guarantee. Defensively, it is a stacked class with every position group being well-represented in the 1st round. The last time a draft came together with similar dimensions was in 2022. Only one quarterback (Kenny Pickett) went in the 1st round. If the same holds true here, the path ahead for the Bears becomes clear.

They should trade up.

The Chicago Bears should be thinking quality over quantity this year.

There was an interesting juxtaposition in the 2022 draft. Through the first nine picks, there was no movement at all in terms of trading. However, that changed rapidly as it moved into the teens and 20s. Between picks 11 and 27, there were eight trades involving teams moving up. Here is how they fared.

The data doesn’t lie. By and large, teams that moved up for players they coveted were rewarded most of the time. Olave has cracked 1,000 yards twice. Williams is a Pro Bowler. Davis helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl. McDuffie and Lloyd are Pro Bowlers. By contrast, none of the teams that traded down came away looking great.

This is emblematic of the quarterback situation. When a class is weak at the position, it means there will be runs on non-QB positions sooner in the 1st round. Players who might’ve gone between #25-30 will go between #15-20 instead. That is why so many teams were compelled to move up in 2022. They knew the players they coveted would all be gone if they chose to sit and wait. That same reality is facing the Chicago Bears. Given the positions they seek help, it seems highly inadvisable to remain at #25.

Poles won’t fear being aggressive.

To date, the Bears GM has never moved up in the 1st round before. However, he’s come close a couple of times. In 2024, he had to be talked out of swinging a deal to go get Rome Odunze when he feared the wide receiver wouldn’t fall to #9. Last year, the Bears reportedly placed several calls to try moving up for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. We know Poles is willing to be aggressive for the right player. This time around, he’s in a spot where it won’t be as expensive to move up, depending on how far he wants to go.

Going from #25 to, say, #20 or #19 would cost around a 4th round pick. That might be a worthwhile price to pay if it’s for somebody the Chicago Bears feel can be a true difference-maker. They only have seven picks in this draft, so Poles may have to get creative in restocking the inventory if he does decide to move up.

The debate around DJ Moore has remained active for weeks. That last image of him running a bad route, leading to the backbreaking interception that lost the Chicago Bears the game in the divisional round, is still fresh in many minds. Combined with the team’s salary cap problems, it has led to rampant speculation that Moore could be traded. He’s still in his late 20s and has a strong enough reputation to generate some market interest. All it requires is everybody in the brain trust being on the same page.

That is where a problem exists. According to Sports Mockery insider Jeff Hughes, the feelings about Moore inside the locker room differ significantly from the media and fans. The wide receiver is beloved by the coaching staff.

It isn’t shocking that this would be the case. Moore was instrumental in the Bears’ playoff push, making the iconic catch in overtime to beat the Green Bay Packers, then did it again in the wild card round to cap an 18-point comeback. The guy was money when the team needed him. One unfortunate moment against the Rams shouldn’t undo all of that.

If Ben Johnson wants DJ Moore, he will get him.

One must remember the new setup with the Bears’ hierarchy. While Ryan Poles remains the general manager, Bears head coach Ben Johnson has significant authority on the personnel front. If there is a player he doesn’t want, the team will not acquire them. It almost certainly goes the other way as well. If there is a player he wants to keep, don’t expect Poles to fight him on it. Johnson’s love for Moore all but guarantees the wide receiver will be back for another season. Moore certainly sounded like someone expecting that during the NFL Honors ceremony.

That leaves the matter of his contract. If they won’t trade DJ Moore, the Bears are almost certain to restructure his contract. Doing so would net them between $16 million and $17 million, depending on whether they use void years. Moore is signed through 2029, so his contract is one of the most obvious options for such a move. Montez Sweat and Joe Thuney will be two others to watch. If nothing else, this at least means the Bears won’t have to worry about making any significant moves at wide receiver.

There is one other issue to watch with Moore.

Poles alluded to it in his end-of-the-season press conference last month. When asked about DJ Moore and his future in Chicago, the GM intimated that the wide receiver had been playing hurt. It isn’t clear to what extent, but the general vibe was that it had been an ongoing issue. That would explain the periodic consistency issues Moore seemed to deal with at times. Playing through pain often does that. The Bears likely hope he stays healthy next season, when he’ll have a chance to truly thrive in Johnson’s offense.

It was already apparent that he and quarterback Caleb Williams were developing chemistry. Ironically, it was Rome Odunze’s own injury problems that led to it. We all saw what a healthy Moore could do in 2023, and that was in a disjointed offensive system. The wider NFL hasn’t given him the respect he deserves for a long time. Could 2026 be his moment? We’ll find out one way or the other.

The Chicago Bears seemed to have a clear focus going into the 2025 draft. With the 10th overall pick, they had a big opportunity to bolster the trenches on either side of the ball. However, as the 1st round unfolded, it became clear that the nine teams ahead of them had the same thought. By the time the clock started for the Bears, the well had mostly dried up at those positions. Not that it mattered. Head coach Ben Johnson already had somebody in mind. Chicago selected Michigan tight end Colston Loveland a few minutes later.

The decision came as a shock. The Bears already had a proven starter in Cole Kmet. Going tight end at that spot felt more like a luxury than a need. Truth be told, it was a case of Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles feeling Loveland was a talent they couldn’t pass on. Their decision proved correct. The rookie finished with 713 yards and six touchdowns, then delivered on the biggest stage with 137 yards in the wild card win over Green Bay.

Loveland spoke to CHGO about his first meeting with Johnson. It didn’t take him long to realize that the head coach was intense and detailed. It was one of the longest sessions Loveland had with any team, and confirmed to him the Bears were interested.

This is further proof Ben Johnson understands talent evaluation.

Plenty of coaches throughout NFL history have been great at developing players, but surprisingly not so great at evaluating them. It is why you often see head coaches who gain full personnel authority over a team don’t do well. So when it became clear that Bears ownership agreed to give Johnson final say over the roster, it was a gamble. No head coach had gotten such power since Dave Wannstedt, and that only lasted a year. Nobody was sure if Johnson was up to the demanding task of going through the evaluation process.

The interview with Loveland proves it. Watching film and testing times in athletic drills are one thing. They showcase the physical potential of prospects. Yet that is only half of the equation. Mental toughness and work ethic are what set great players apart from everyone else. Ben Johnson understood that the only way to gauge whether Loveland was the real deal was to grill him in that interview, testing his intelligence, mental stamina, and resilience under pressure. It sounds like the tight end passed the test.

Johnson is more than just a great play caller.

Great head coaches have to be more than that. They must be leaders and understand how to make sound decisions in the heat of battle. Yet what is often forgotten about the best of the best is they were also damn good at evaluating talent. Chuck Noll built the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty of the 1970s. Bill Walsh did the same with the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s. Jimmy Johnson had his fingerprints all over the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, and Bill Belichick called the shots in New England for 20 years.

The last Bears head coach who was both a leader and an excellent evaluator was probably George Halas himself. If Ben Johnson is anywhere near that same level, then the Bears are in store for glorious times ahead. His first draft class certainly would have you think so.

Don’t forget he was also a key voice in helping the Lions draft Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta. If he can somehow expand his repertoire to include defensive players, the Bears are in business.

What’s it really like inside the Chicago Bears locker room?

In the premiere episode of Untold Chicago Stories, former Bears cornerback Jerry Azumah pulls back the curtain on life in the NFL—sharing raw, honest stories from his time in Chicago that fans have never heard before. From the grind behind the scenes to the moments that shaped his career, Jerry opens up about the dedication, sacrifice, and pressure that comes with wearing the Bears uniform.

We also close the show with our Youth Spark, where Jerry speaks directly to young athletes chasing big dreams—offering wisdom earned through both success and hardship for the next generation of Chicago legends.

This is more than football. These are the stories behind the moments.

Welcome to Untold Chicago Stories.

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Untold Chicago Stories: Raw, unscripted conversations with former Chicago professional athletes sharing their real journeys—no spin, no headlines, just truth. Dive into the untold stories of Chicago sports, including first beliefs and doubts, early supporters, the pressure and pride of Chicago, post-game life, and lasting legacies. These stories have never been published in the media. This isn’t interrogation—it’s a safe space for athletes to reflect and be heard, in our private studio.

Chicago fans: Get behind the stats—moments, people, and feelings that shaped Bears, Bulls, and more. Add context to misunderstood careers and lessons for the next generation. The conversation will be led by new Sports Mockery teammate Colin, a close friend and confidant of all the athletes we host.

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