They say Ben Johnson is a stickler for details. They weren’t joking. It has become apparent over the past couple of months that the new Chicago Bears head coach has eyes on everything. Most think he is laser-focused on Xs and Os, crafting plays, and building a successful system. Johnson knows it goes far beyond that if you want to win in the NFL. It must also be about controlling the mindset of the players. They must buy into the team’s vision while reflecting a particular picture to the opponent.
This is where body language comes in. Reports revealed that one of Johnson’s first objectives was teaching quarterback Caleb Williams how to improve his. In reality, he’s doing it with the entire team. This may confuse some people, wondering how body language has any bearing on winning football games. In Johnson’s mind, it’s a ton.
“Body language is a huge thing. Demeanor. We don’t want to be a ‘palms-up team’ where we’re questioning everything. No, no, no. To me, that’s a little bit of a sign of weakness. We don’t want to exhibit that from anybody on the team.”
The last thing teams want to do is show opponents any sign of weakness. That merely emboldens them to play harder, sensing an opportunity for victory. Johnson won’t have any of that.
Ben Johnson knows there’s a correlation between acting and being.
If you act like you’re something long enough, you start believing it’s true. “Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you.” That is what Ben Johnson is aiming for. He wants Bears players to get used to acting like they’re never hurt, frustrated, or tired. Even if they are all of those things, don’t show it. That can be demoralizing for opponents. Few things are easier to expose than teams lacking confidence. The Bears proved that last year. Johnson said he doesn’t just want to win games. He wants to crush every team they face. It starts with getting his players used to a hard mindset. Toughness is the key to winning in the NFL, but it is absolutely a critical piece of it.
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