It's safe to say that by the time Matt Eberflus' tenure with the Chicago Bears was nearing its end, Jaylon Johnson was not a fan.
Whether Johnson's locker room rant after the Bears' Thanksgiving Day loss to the Detroit Lions last season played a factor in Eberflus' firing the following day or not, it was clear that his team was no longer following the former head coach's message.
Johnson was among the Bears' players who spoke with reporters at Halas Hall on Tuesday, and it was clear that he is enjoying life without Eberflus.
Jaylon Johnson expressed excitement about playing more man in Dennis Allen's defense: "No. 1 on No. 1...that's what I train for...dogs eat (up front) and we'll cover on the back end."
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) April 8, 2025
"(Playing man coverage) is what I feel like I'm the best at."
Jalyon Johnson's disdain for Matt Eberflus can't be hidden
In Eberflus' Tampa-2 defense, Johnson was tasked with covering a side of a field as opposed to following the opposing team's best wide receiver. While Johnson thrived in that role, ascending toward being one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, the veteran hadn't been shy about his desire to travel with the opponent's best wide receiver. If Johnson's comments on Tuesday are any indication, it sounds like that will be part of his responsibility in Dennis Allen's defense.
While Allen does run a 4-3 scheme that has some Cover-2 elements to it, he has earned his reputation as an aggressive defensive play-caller in the NFL. The aggressive approach from Allen's defenses is something Johnson is looking forward to.
"Would you rather win by 7 or 17? 17. You don't want to barely win the fight; you want to whoop the guy in front of you, " Johnson explained.
At the end of the day, everything that Bears players say moving forward can be interpreted as an indictment of Eberflus. After all, Eberflus did make it easy to point out just how bad he was at his job.
But as the new coaching staff's arrival has brought a new sense of expectation for what the 2025 season could bring for the Bears, Johnson is staying reserved. Johnson is no stranger to coaching changes with the Bears and has yet to win a playoff game with the team. Johnson says that excitement will arrive when the Bears start winning games in November and December.