The Detroit Lions took on the Chicago Bears, and the divisional rivalry delivered as expected. What may not have been expected was Lions fans giving former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a hard time.
Initially, Johnson's arrival on the sidelines was met with a ton of boos from the crowd. This was followed by something far worse.
Fans began "F*** Ben Johnson" chants, which echoed throughout the stadium. The chants have since been addressed by Jared Goff, who stated that he did not appreciate fans treating the former Lions coach this way.
Goff spoke to reporters following the game and explained that Johnson did a lot for the team.
"I didn't like that. He did a lot for us. I don't know if he deserved that," Goff stated.
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What Goff is referencing is Johnson's tenure with the Lions, where he helped to transform one of the worst teams in the NFL into one of the best.
During Johnson's time with the Lions, the team went 9-8 in 2022, 12-5 in 2023, and 15-2 in 2024. Detroit transformed into a Super Bowl contender under the tutelage of Johnson.
The divisional rivalry is one thing, as Johnson is now the head coach of the Bears, but it could be argued that the Lions would not be where they are without their former offensive coordinator.
The Lions decimated the Bears with a final score of 52-21, proving that the team does not need Johnson. However, it is his blueprint that helped right the ship these past few seasons.
Detroit also righted itself after dropping Week 1 to the Green Bay Packers. After a 27-13 final score in the first week, they chose to take some of their frustrations out on the Bears in Week 2.
Regardless of how fans feel about Johnson going to a viewed enemy team, he should have been celebrated for the contributions he made to the Lions over the past few seasons.
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