Ben Johnson didn't get a win out of his first experience on the Bears sidelines.
Nor did he get a loss. The Bears coach received enlightenment, instead. So did his team.
In a 24-24 tie, he did come away with many benefits for the coming season, key among them a better appreciation for the players on his roster. Not that he didn't appreciate them but when subs are giving the kind of effort they were, he knows he'll have people to fall back on in case of injuries.
"It's kind of hard to assess the feeling in the locker room on a tie like that," Johnson said. "Those guys went out there, and they laid it out—all those guys that were active—they did a great job going out there and competing.
"You just don't know how to feel when it ends up being 24-24. It doesn't matter, preseason or not, you go out there, they're keeping score, and you're playing to win. I'd say this, I think those guys did a phenomenal job going out there. The effort was there. The intensity was there throughout."
Because Johnson didn't use his starters, he had extra stripes to pin on a few backups for gutting out extra playing time in the 88-degree heat that felt like 100 degrees at game time.
"A number of guys, knowing there were no reserves behind them, they fought through a lot, whether getting dinged up and having to come out for a few plays and coming back out and looking to finish that game," Johnson said. "Guys that come to mind, Jonathan Ford, Zacch Pickens, Tre Flowers, (Josh) Blackwell, it goes on and on and on.
"That's what stood out to me. It makes you proud as a coach when you see the guys go out there and give it everything they've got."
Coach was HYPED pic.twitter.com/dpqja26Yep
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 10, 2025
Some didn't make it through unscathed and Johnson got to experience his first list of those injured in battle.
Linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga had a shoulder injury, safety Major Burns a knee injury, Terell Smith a groin injury, Travis Homer a calf injury and Luke Newman, their rookie guard/center, was put in the concussion protocol.
First Bears opener without “Matt Eberflus” on my team pic.twitter.com/KaBSHCVsT7
— BearsShowYo (@BearsShowYo) August 10, 2025
"I thought at times we played with the physical nature that we keep talking about and we've been practicing towards over the course of camp," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, it comes down to making some plays there at the end of the game.
"Offensively, we had some chances. I think we ended up being one for four on fourth-down. If we do a little better in that regard, then we probably end up with a "W" for the day. With that being said, I'll go ahead and open it up from there.”
Ben Johnson mentality. 💯 pic.twitter.com/k2DXdI4lXr
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) August 10, 2025
The use of a few starters early served a purpose. They played Tyrique Stevenson and Nahshon Wright since they both are battling for No. 2 cornerback. Same for tackle Braxton Jones and Ozzy Trapilo as they continue to fight for the starting left tackle spot.
Johnson said the cornerback plan was coordinator Dennis Allen's call.
"We were aiming for 10 to 12 snaps," Johnson said. "I don't know what the final number ended up being, but I know they were certainly out there on the first drive.”
Johnson did get his offensive starters out on the field prior to the game for a throwing session and they ran through routes.
I love the way Kyle Monangai runs the rock. #Bears
— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) August 10, 2025
It had been the plan since he announced Friday morning they would sit the opener.
Perhaps Bears fans learned something about Johnson, as his players certainly did. Unlike most past Bears coaches who said otherwise, he uses the preseason to learn about his team.
On fourth-and-3 from the Miami 36, he's not just settling for another long field goal from Cairo Santos or Jonathan Kim and instead has Austin Reed throw a bomb incomplete to Jahdae Walker. What's the point of winning on a kick when you can learn something more about young offensive players.
Defensively, they blitzed on fourth-and-15 from the Bear 45 and a sack by safety Alex Cook finished off Dolphins chances.
It would have been easy to see Matt Eberflus, John Fox, even Lovie Smith simply kicking the field goal and trying to win a preseason game rather than learn about your offensive players by going for it.
It's apparent these Bears have a coach with a sense of purpose and a plan.
Whether they win or lose the remaining preseason games means nothing. The value is playing, practicing and learning because the start of finals is Sept. 8 and they run all the way into January. They need to know their stuff.
X: BearsOnSI