Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson doesn’t mind doing things the unorthodox way.
Whether that is play calling, how he speaks to the media, or his players. Since he was named the Chicago Bears head coach back in January 2025, the 39-year-old has been authentically himself.
When he yelled at the top of his lungs, “F— the Packers” in the postgame locker room following the Bears’ 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card at Soldier Field, he was just expressing his feelings. That raw emotion resonates with players, including center Drew Dalman, who has a more relaxed personality.
“I think it's awesome to see,” Dalman said via 670 The Score's Chris Emma. “We have competitors all around the building, whether players, coaches, equipment staff, everybody. And so, I think when you see people like that, it drives that same spirit in you. I think it's really fun to have a coach that's fired up like that, and I think the guys feed off of it. I really enjoy it.”
Bears players are backing Ben Johnson's perfect feelings on Packers
Johnson received some pushback for his quick handshake with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and for making the “F— the Packers comments," but those opinions are from people who are on the outside and are not within the walls of Halas Hall.
For the players who interact with Johnson on a daily basis, they have embodied and, more importantly, embraced their head coach’s passion for the game.
“A moment like that, there's so much work and frustration throughout the course of a season and all those things culminate into one moment,” Dalman said. “And so, I think it's good that we all express ourselves and stuff like that, and everybody's excited. As far as anything else, I don't place any significance on any of it. It's just a lot of people are excited.”
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Johnson didn't apologize for his actions during his media availability at Halas Hall, and given how the roster has responded to their head coach, they wouldn’t have it any other way.