Ben Johnson
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Head coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Ben Johnson had a lot on his plate in Year 1. New staff, new quarterback to develop, a franchise that hadn’t made the playoffs since 2020. Under his leadership, the Chicago Bears won the NFC North and made the postseason. But along the way, he never really got to know two of his most important players.
Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon both missed the bulk of their respective seasons. Injuries wrecked both of their 2025 campaigns, and by extension, they wrecked the normal process a first-year head coach goes through with key players. It’s something the Bears head coach aims to fix.
ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported on March 30 that the Bears HC called building relationships with Gordon and Jaylon Johnson “challenging” because of how much time both missed. “We’re starting over completely this spring,” Johnson said in reference to both Bears cornerbacks.
Injuries Decimated the Chicago Bears Secondary in 2025
Kyler Gordon
GettyKyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson are starting over with head coach Ben Johnson.
Gordon’s year fell apart early. A hamstring injury before the preseason kept him out until Week 5. He came back and played well in wins over Washington and New Orleans, but then he got hurt again. Gordon sustained calf and groin injuries during a Week 7 practice that landed him on IR. He reaggravated his groin before finally returning for the playoffs, where it took him a bit to get back to top form. All in all, he played in just three games, starting one.
Johnson arguably had it even worse. He tore an adductor off his pelvic bone during offseason workouts, and when he tried to play through it, he reaggravated it in Week 2. He ended up needing surgery, and he didn’t return to the lineup until Week 13. He had played just 20 total snaps before that, and when he returned, he confirmed he was in a ridiculous amount of pain at times.
Serious injuries to his top two corners made it difficult for Johnson to get to know them through their on-field demeanor, and it also put defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in a tough spot. Allen adjusted, playing more zone than he wanted to, and he leaned on dime packages when his secondary was healthier than his linebacker corps.
Ben Johnson & Bears Are Hoping Kyler Gordon & Jaylon Johnson Stay Healthy in 2026
The Bears defense led the league with 32 turnovers, but it also ranked 24th in total yards allowed and got carved up on third down. That’s what can happen when your top cover corner and your best slot defender are both on the sidelines.
Credit where it’s due — Nahshon Wright and C.J. Gardner-Johnson filled in and played hard. Wright had four interceptions in nine starts, both career highs. But those guys aren’t there anymore, and neither is the caliber of player Johnson or Gordon are when they’re healthy.
That’s what makes this offseason so critical. Gordon and Johnson aren’t role players — Johnson is a two-time Pro Bowler who allowed just 32 receptions on 51 targets in 2024, while Gordon got a $40 million extension just last year. It’s no secret that when both players are healthy, they change the defense. Allen’s scheme thrives with guys like them in it.
If Chicago wants to build on what it started in 2025, those two DBs staying on the field should help immensely.