"Ben Johnson looks miserable" - NFL fans troll Bears HC for snapping at reporter over question on Dan Campbell's game plan

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson's return to Detroit didn't go to plan as his team were thrashed 52-21 by a ruthless Lions at Ford Field on Sunday.

Following the game, the Bears HC was seemingly frustrated when Lions reporter Jeff Riger asked about Detroit going for the 4th-and-goal at Chicago’s 4-yard line despite holding a 45-21 lead.

“Did you believe [Lions head coach] Dan Campbell ran it up on you on 4th-and-4, going for it in the fourth quarter?” Rigers asked.

Johnson didn't appreciate the question and seemingly lashed out by saying:

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

“What’s he supposed to do? It’s 4th-and-goal. What do you want them to do? Yeah, he could’ve kicked the field goal. They don’t kick field goals. They go for it. So he’s just doing what he’s supposed to do. That’s what he does.”

NFL fans reacted to the Bears HC snapping at the reporter.

"Ben Johnson is a horrible media coach. He looks miserable."

"The Bears season is already over in September. LOL."

"Bears breaking him, alright."

"Bro regrets taking the job."

"I know Ben hates his job."

Ben Johnson reflects on what led to Bears' undoing against his former team

Ben Johnson joined the Lions in 2019 as the Offensive quality control coach. He was promoted to the tight ends coach a year later and was promoted to the pass game coordinator in 2021.

He was promoted to the offensive coordinator in 2022 and established the Lions as one of the best offensive teams in the league. Following the 2024 season, he left Detroit to take up the coaching role with the Bears in January.

His return to Detroit for the first time since taking up the role left a sour taste in Jonshon's mouth as he was outplayed by the offense he helped build.

“Man,” Johnson said, “it’s a kick in the teeth. Nothing about that feels good.”

Johnson also highlighted what led to the team's undoing against his former side on Sunday.

“When you play a good team on the road and you have turnovers and you don’t convert on fourth down and you give up explosive plays on defense, it can go sideways in a hurry,” Johnson said. “That was really the name of the game.”

With the second consecutive loss for the Bears, Johnson's role has come under pressure just two weeks into the season.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Chicago Bears Nation! Check out the latest Chicago Bears Schedule and dive into the Bears Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash