Reporters laud Tuesday's practice as befitting a different era of Bears football

Before Tuesday's practice, which he called the "last install, formal install, offensively and defensively", Chicago Bears Ben Johnson publicly set the tone for the session, which he added would include short yardage and goal line work.

"It'll be a good, physical practice", Johnson said. "We toned it down for our guys yesterday, get their legs back underneath of them, and we'll have a good one here today."

It's getting to the point in training camp where players are ready to hit someone other than their teammates. It's good timing for that kind of aggression for the Bears, since joint practices against the Miami Dolphins are coming later this week before Sunday's preseason opener.

But Bears' players did not save their percolating aggression for the Dolphins. They clearly got Johnson's message, with every reporter who has on the ground at Halas Hall on Tuesday passing along news of on-field fights (four, to be exact) and generally getting after it in a way that's rarely seen in this era of NFL training camp practices.

Bears reporters harken back to past era with Tuesday practice sentiment

Here's a sampling of reports about the sheer physicality and tackling volume from the Bears' two-hour practice on Tuesday.

The Bears had four double-digit win seasons, with three NFC North titles, two NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance over Lovie Smith's nine seasons as the head coach (2004-2012). They've won one division title since, which is also their only double-digit win season since.

Those who have come after Smith, Marc Trestman, Matt Nagy and Matt Eberflus especially, have failed to set the ideal overall tone and standard. Johnson is clearly shifting that dynamic, and players are responding to it positively.

After Tuesday's practice, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson told reporters "I think we should practice like that every day." Collectively bargained league rules won't allow that, of course, but it's nice to hear the positive sentiment from players after such a physical practice.

The intensity of Tuesday's practice shouldn't be overly surprising, considering Johnson worked under Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions routinely have physical camp practices. But some long-time Bears' reporters were left to harken back to what training camps were like when Smith was the head coach.

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The Bears have not touched the success level they had under Smith in the more than a decade since he was fired after a 10-win season. If some things that are happening under Johnson bring positive mention of that era of Bears football, that's a good thing overall.