Days after the Chicago Bears' season came to a disappointing end, head coach Ben Johnson and members of the front office took to the podium for a post-season interview.
With the emotion of the fan base still close at heart, Ben Johnson spoke on the season with finality and emphasized moving forward. It was nice, for once, to have a Bears head coach give a postseason elimination press conference, and his immediate future with the team was secure.
Johnson reiterated that this was it for the season and that we weren't building from here. Every season is a new beast to tackle, and everyone starts at square one. With looming roster decisions to be made and key players leaving in inevitable free agency, it's shaping up to be a lengthy offseason at Halas Hall.
“I’ll forever be grateful for what they were able to do this season. We’re committed to bringing in competitive football players that are going to make us better time and time again.”
Ben Johnson knows he has work to do in offseason with departing free agents
Johnson's remarks are simultaneously rooted in the work and effort his team put in this season and also a statement on the franchise's trajectory. Coach Johnson has brought a comforting level of consistency, something Bears fans haven't seen in years, and his clear focus on the future is reassuring. This is a coach who is organized and has set clear expectations for the offseason. Johnson knows there are no shortcuts to a good team.
The language he chooses prioritizes consistency over flashes of success. The Bears are building for the future, not betting the house on going all the way next year. Finalizing the key spots on the foundation for years to come is a must for Ryan Poles. Poles has previously worked magic in the draft, finding outlier picks when we seemingly didn't have any.
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Johnson didn't use the podium to sell optimism or to shield his roster. Instead, his words reinforced a standard that the Bears intend to live by. Words rooted in competition, consistency, and a long-term vision that prioritizes sustained success over short-term results.