Before the Chicago Bears ended up making the decision to officially hire Ben Johnson as their new head coach, the fan base was busy at work continuing to plead their case for the move.
After all, the fan base is not used to good things like this happening.
When the Bears introduced Johnson as their new head coach on Wednesday, among those in attendance were of course owner George McCaskey, team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles.
Each of the three spent time speaking with the media, and when it was time for Warren to answer questions, he peeled back the curtain on one particular experience he had recently.
Prior to hiring Johnson, Warren was out to dinner when he received a drink, along with a note which read four simple words:
“Please hire Ben Johnson.”
The Athletic's Kevin Fishbain posted the note to his social media account (see link above) and briefly explain the story. It didn't take long for the sender of said note to reveal himself.
It turns out, Warren was sent this drink and note from a Bears fan. And, to acknowledge the gesture, Warren decided to send a pair of drinks back to the fan who was having dinner with his girlfriend.
The Ben Johnson hiring has brought good vibes back to Halas Hall
This story from a Bears fan and Kevin Warren is just one example of the great vibes being felt around Halas Hall since Johnson's hiring on Monday.
Johnson spoke very highly of the Bears' family environment, which of course many coaches mention at first. He also talked up Poles, Warren and McCaskey for the kind of people they are.
Bears fans can laugh all they want at that sentiment. However, these words are coming from the most highly-coveted coaching candidate in a few years. We know the culture established by McCaskey is worthless without results, whether or not it's truly a family feel within the building.
Fans just want results.
However, the feelings around Halas Hall are certainly a lot more positive with Johnson in the building. If anything, it can give fans additional hope that maybe, just maybe, Poles is going to figure this thing out with Johnson's help.
And, thanks to someone like Warren by their side, the three of them working together can give the Bears a much-needed lift over the offseason.
The generosity and class shown by Warren is just an example of the type of organization the Bears need to be in all aspects. Hopefully, Johnson's arrival is exactly what they needed to move the needle in all areas.