All week long, leading up to the matchup with the New York Jets, Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson had the same answer for who would be his starting quarterback.
Johnson maintained a "we'll see" approach to who he'd trot out there to start the game against the Jets and never once told the media who he was rolling with. But as the week wound down, reports surfaced that it would, indeed, be Tyson Bagent starting against the Jets.
Funny enough, Johnson decided to throw Case Keenum out there for the first play of the game, with Bagent also on the field for that snap: a run play.
It was a blatant dose of Johnson's personality and "I'll do what I want" mentality, which Bears fans have come to love. After the game, Johnson was asked by the Bears' media what went into his decision to put both quarterbacks on the field for that first snap:
"I got all these memos saying that Tyson was starting before I ever made an announcement, so I wanted to get Case out there first time. It was like his ceremonial first pitch out there, handing off the torch."
As Johnson was explaining this decision, you could sense his typical subtle, sarcastic tone. Clearly, he was not appreciative of the media leaking his decision to start Bagent against the Jets.
And, as always, this type of response and tone falls right in line with the head coach who will always, always, always, march to the beat of his own.
Ben Johnson is the head coach Bears fans have long needed and won't apologize for
At another moment during his postgame presser, Johnson was asked about his decision to kick a field goal in the fourth quarter when the score was 20-6. On fourth-and-goal from the three-yard line, Johnson sent Cairo Santos out on the field to make it a score of 23-6.
However, one reporter thought it would have been "prime" time for Johnson to go for it on fourth down, so they asked Johnson what went through his mind in making that decision:
"It was a two-score game, into a three-score game ... right?"
Not even a minute later, that same reporter circled back to the same exact question, somehow wanting a different answer. Johnson didn't flinch:
"Turned a two-score game, into a three-score game, in the second half. Right?"
The second response saw Johnson smirk sarcastically, almost as if he was thinking, "Are you serious? What don't you get? I already gave you that answer."
And that type of smirk, paired with the blunt answer, is what fans have come to know and love about Johnson. He won't beat around the bush, ever.
After fans had to deal with the likes of Matt Eberflus, Matt Nagy, John Fox, and more, and listen to more word salad than they could stomach, Johnson has brought such a breath of fresh air.
He's arrogant.
He's got one of the biggest egos in the league.
And he's only in his second year on the job.
But you know what?
He has every right to flex that ego.
He is the best head coach this franchise has had in decades, and the reason this Bears team has proven it can win with any of the three quarterbacks over the first quarter of the season.
Johnson's sarcastic nature with the media, at times, is proof that he isn't here to mess around. The man is a true football psycho. He lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps this game, and people who don't do that may not understand him.
Sure, he'll have his fun at the podium at times. He does do a good job with the media, after all. This is not a knock on how Johnson handles the press.
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But this is to say that he will continue to be himself; the borderline-crazy football fanatic who is only focused on one thing, and thank God he is, because this fan base deserves it.
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