Kevin Byard
Getty
Kevin Byard kept it real when discussing Ben Johnson after leaving the Bears
The Chicago Bears are fresh off a breakout campaign in 2025, but early on this offseason, they have lost quite a few pieces from their team. Among that group is All-Pro safety Kevin Byard, who left Ben Johnson to go play for one of his former head coaches, Mike Vrabel, and the New England Patriots.
In his first year playing under Johnson, Byard enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, but that didn’t lead to him returning for the 2026 season. However, it’s not due to any ill will Byard has with Johnson. In fact, it sounds like Chicago’s soon-to-be second-year head coach had quite an impact on Byard.
Kevin Byard Dishes on Ben Johnson
Prior to his two-season stint with the Bears, Byard spent the majority of his career with the Tennessee Titans, while also briefly playing for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. During his time on the field, Byard has earned a reputation for being one of the top ballhawks in the league, and in recent years, he’s turned into a veteran leader who can make an impact in the locker room as well.
Byard did a little bit of everything in 2025. He earned the third Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team selections of his career after he racked up 93 tackles, a league-leading seven interceptions, and eight pass breakups. Playing more in a deeper-lying coverage role, rather than closer to the line of scrimmage, Byard thrived, and he proved he still has some gas left in the tank, even as he prepares to enter his age-33 season.
Like everyone else on Chicago’s roster, Byard was experiencing Johnson as a head coach for the first time in his career. As it turns out, it wasn’t what Byard was expecting, as he revealed that Johnson was on the Bears’ case from the get-go, with the end result seeing Byard label the 2025 training camp as the most difficult one in his career.
“Out of my ten years being in the NFL, it’s the hardest training camp I’ve ever had,” Byard said on “The Schultz Report.” “I wasn’t expecting that from him … When you look back at it, it was so worth it. I think, how the season kind of went … we needed that tough training camp.”
Bears May Have Tough Time Replacing Kevin Byard
Kevin Byard
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 20: Kevin Byard III #31 of the Chicago Bears runs on to the field prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on December 20, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Ultimately, Chicago let Byard walk in free agency, and he was quickly scooped up by New England on a one-year, $7 million contract. While the Bears signed Coby Bryant in free agency themselves, they don’t have a true partner for him right now, which makes this a position worth keeping tabs on as the draft approaches.
There’s a decent chance Byard won’t produce at the level he was at in 2025, largely because his production was reliant on his seven interceptions. However, his impact in the locker room means there’s a big void that needs to be filled moving forward. Byard may not be back in town next season, but it’s clear his affinity for Johnson and the Bears’ organization is still quite high.