Ben Johnson Sparks Bears Revival Amid Playoff Drama

Ben Johnson’s journey from North Carolina high school standout to the helm of the Chicago Bears has all the makings of a sports drama—complete with locker room speeches, trick plays, and a halftime show headlined by his lifelong best friend. As the 2025-26 NFL playoffs heat up, Johnson’s story is captivating fans in Chicago and beyond, blending gridiron strategy with personal flair and a dash of good-natured rivalry.

Johnson, just 39 years old, was officially unveiled as the Bears’ head coach on January 22, 2025, signing a five-year, $65 million contract that catapulted him into the NFL’s top earners. His appointment came on the heels of a remarkable run as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator, where he was named the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year for 2024. But it’s his impact in Chicago that’s making headlines now.

In his first season at the helm, Johnson transformed a struggling Bears franchise. The team rallied to an 11-6 record, clinched the NFC North division, and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020—a remarkable turnaround for an organization that hadn’t tasted postseason victory since 2010. As Johnson put it in his introductory press conference, “It was clear to me from the beginning that the priorities were straight. There’s only one way for us to have success here and that’s [having] the right people in place. We’re going to push. We’re going to challenge. And along with those high standards, there’s also going to be a high level of support as well.”

But Johnson’s approach is anything but conventional. Known for his exuberant personality, he’s quickly become one of the NFL’s most colorful head coaches. From expletive-filled speeches aimed squarely at the Bears’ archrival Green Bay Packers to shirtless locker room celebrations, Johnson has made it clear: this isn’t the same old Chicago. After a rousing win over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday, Johnson ripped off his shirt in the locker room, prompting laughter from his wife and a simple, “no shirt,” from his daughter. “Any time you get the chance to feed a city, you want to do it,” Johnson quipped, referencing a challenge from Chicago’s iconic hot dog stand, The Wieners Circle, which promised free hot dogs if Johnson celebrated shirtless after a win.

It’s not just antics off the field that have made Johnson a sensation. His reputation as an offensive mastermind is well-earned. While with the Lions, he engineered a slew of viral trick plays—fake punts, hook-and-ladders, even a play where quarterback Jared Goff pretended to stumble before firing a touchdown pass. In Chicago, he’s brought that same creativity, keeping defenses guessing and fans on the edge of their seats.

Perhaps nowhere is Johnson’s fiery spirit more evident than in his handling of the Bears-Packers rivalry. In his first press conference, he didn’t shy away from calling out Packers head coach Matt LaFleur: “And to be quite frank with you, I kind of enjoyed beating Matt LaFleur twice a year.” It wasn’t just talk. The Bears swept Green Bay in the 2025 season, including a dramatic overtime win and a fourth-quarter rally in the playoffs that sent the Packers home. The postgame handshakes between Johnson and LaFleur have become must-watch moments, ranging from icy to barely-there. And after eliminating the Packers in the divisional round, Johnson let loose in the locker room: “F--- the Packers! F--- them! F---ing hate those guys!” he shouted, unapologetically embracing the rivalry. “There’s a rivalry that exists between these two teams. It’s something that I fully recognize that I’m a part of. I don’t like that team.”

Johnson’s leadership has also had ripple effects around the league. His departure from Detroit left the Lions reeling, finishing the 2025-26 season with a 9-8 record and missing the playoffs—a sharp contrast to their 15-win campaign the year before. Analysts and fans alike are questioning whether the Lions made a mistake letting Johnson walk, with Sports Illustrated’s John Maakaron noting that Johnson’s strategic brilliance was a key ingredient in Detroit’s previous success. Meanwhile, Johnson continues to support his former colleagues, endorsing ex-Lions quarterback David Blough as the new offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, praising Blough’s intelligence and connection with players.

But behind the headlines and viral moments is a story of deep-rooted friendship and loyalty. Johnson’s best friend since childhood is none other than country music star Chase Rice. The two grew up together in Fairview, North Carolina, played on the same middle school football team, and won a state championship at A.C. Reynolds High School—Johnson at quarterback, Rice at linebacker. They even roomed together at the University of North Carolina. Their bond is so strong that Rice, now a chart-topping singer, schedules his concerts around Bears games. “I have the Bears schedule in my calendar,” Rice said. “I had a whole setup in my truck. I’d set up the Starlink and I’d watch the Bears game sitting on the side of the road in Montana. That’s never happened for an NFL team. That wouldn’t even happen for college teams. I’m very, very dialed into watching them.”

Their friendship took a humorous turn when it was revealed that Johnson “stole” his wife, Jessica, from Rice—sort of. Jessica, then Jessica Putnam, attended an eighth-grade dance with Rice, but when high school rolled around, Johnson asked her out, and the rest is history. The couple married in 2014 and now have three children. Rice jokes about the “scoop-and-score,” saying Jessica made the right choice: “not only is Johnson a better person, he also makes more money!”

As the Bears prepare for their next playoff clash, Johnson’s confidence is palpable. “We’re mentally prepared to play for five more weeks. That’s our intent,” he told reporters. “You go out and win the first one. We’re going to go all out for this game.” True to his word, Johnson has insisted on playing his starters, eschewing the trend of resting key players before the playoffs. “Some teams rest their starters. We don’t. We play football,” he declared, sending a subtle shot at other franchises.

With the Bears’ postseason run still alive and the city of Chicago rallying behind its charismatic coach, the NFL world is watching closely. Whether it’s a viral celebration, a perfectly executed trick play, or a headline-grabbing rivalry moment, Ben Johnson has made it clear: he’s here to change the narrative. And with every game, he’s writing a new chapter in Bears history—one that fans won’t soon forget.