In the heat of battle, sometimes things are said or actions happen that can later be regrettable. Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson felt that moment in his rookie season as head coach.
A viral moment came out of the Bears' 25-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders game before Josh Blackwell's incredible blocked field goal. This moment was different as it didn't even happen on the field.
Johnson was being interviewed by CBS reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala, where he interpreted something she said as her telling him they should do something better. He took offense to it and was short with her at the end of the interview.
This was discussed on social media for the rest of the game, with some criticizing him for being too harsh on Kinkhabwala, while others thought it was an overreaction. It appears this was a moment Johnson wished he could have back.
Johnson addressed his halftime interview with regret
With one day to reflect on the moment, Johnson spoke with the media, discussing the brief interview. He expressed that he wasn't happy with how it came out and took accountability for what he said to her.
"I am a little disappointed with how that looks. I didn't hear very well, but that's not an excuse. What was a question, I took as being told I needed to change things, which I didn't take too well. I have to be better with those going forward."
For Bears fans, this is a great moment to see Johnson move past the coaching side of himself and share more of his human side, which the public doesn't often see. He made a mistake, owned up to it, and that's all that can be done.
Some people in the media, such as Jon Gruden, defended Johnson's reaction in the moment. It happened as Nick Saban had that moment when he was at Alabama. Interviews at halftime, during, and after the game can be a tough spot for a coach when the job of coaching is on their mind.
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This was a good learning lesson for the new head coach, and he can now move forward. His focus must be on getting the Bears rested during the bye week and preparing for the Week 6 matchup against the Washington Commanders.