This week, the tides have turned in the NFC North. The Chicago Bears are the only team in the division to truly enjoy good news after the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are all reeling from early playoff exits.
That good news came by way of Ben Johnson, your new Bears head coach, after being hired away from the Lions.
The former Detroit offensive coordinator rubbed salt in the wounds of his former fan base with his first words to the Bears after being hired, stating that Chicago is where he wanted to be all along.
Lions fans aren't quite sure how to process it, and that's an understatement. If you thought Brett Favre leaving the Packers and ultimately joining the Vikings was bad, apparently this was much worse by comparison; at least, if you asked Detroit fans.
After the news broke of Johnson being hired in Chicago, Lions fans took to social media and podcast platforms in absolutely irate fashion. It's one thing to be upset, but some of these fans took things way too far.
Hey, at least it provides Bears fans with some comedic relief.
Lions fans and media personalities are going through it after the Bears hired Ben Johnson
One Lions fan has had enough of Bears fans celebrating and simply made the accusation, "this is getting out of hand the unreal amount they want to be us."
Go turn on any Lions podcast or local Detroit sports radio and you won't have to listen long to understand just how emotional Johnson's departure has made them all.
One popular Lions account made a video calling out Johnson for a "backstab, a slap to the face ... a stab to the heart" and saying all of his cool offensive plays now mean "nothing."
"Benedict Arnold, Judas, Osama Bin Laden, Ben Johnson ... Ben Johnson's the biggest scumbag in Detroit sports history," one podcast host recently said.
I hope every Detroit Lions player takes this personal
— Honolulu Blues (@HonoluluBlues_) January 20, 2025
Ben Johnson is a traitor - better off without his saboteur ass https://t.co/pOQFEsoKLc
— Amtrak Merchant (@DetroitRaDawg) January 21, 2025
New most hated man in Detroit. What a total worm.
— Michele Morrow (@michelelrm) January 20, 2025
Ben Johnson is legitimately dead to me
— Amtrak Merchant (@DetroitRaDawg) January 21, 2025
You can’t convince me he didn’t throw the game
- 15-2 and he calls the worst game of his career at the most important game of the year
- 2 days later goes to Chicago with a staff already picked out
Traitor, saboteur, Benedict Arnold
What Ben Johnson did is genuinely disgusting, he had the whole state rallying behind his offense and stunk it up, turns around and signs with a rival. Can’t wait for B2A
— Berk! ⛷️ (@luhberky) January 20, 2025
this situation is just showing, once again, that ben johnson has no class
— ZURI!💘🤲🏾 (@cupidshotzuri) January 21, 2025
Ben Johnson u are a traitor I'm praying on ur downfall
— GARNACHO DA GOAT⚽⚽⚽ (@MrGarnacho) January 22, 2025
For the sake of keeping this relatively appropriate, we won't cross the line that countless Lions fans have already crossed. If you do a simple search of "Ben Johnson" followed by the word "traitor," for example, social media will use its algorithm to show you some of the absolute worst examples of what humans are capable of saying.
There's a point where this goes beyond being funny to completely unacceptable and just plain sad. Unfortunately, a good amount of Lions fans have sprinted way past that point.
In sports, this happens, whether it's players or coaches. Johnson did such a marvelous job in Detroit that he was regarded as the next great head coaching candidate. It just so happened that the best job available was in Chicago.
Lions fans need to chill out.
They won't, but they should.