Ben Johnson shares his message to Bears as OTAs kick off
· Yahoo Sports
The Chicago Bears are in the final phase of their offseason program as veterans and rookies alike are hitting the practice field at Halas Hall for organized team activities (OTAs), and there have already been plenty of highlights and some insane Caleb Williams throws.
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The Bears are coming off an impressive first season under head coach Ben Johnson, where the team went from worst to first with an 11-6 record, winning the NFC North and winning their first playoff game in nearly two decades. But that success doesn't guarantee success in 2026, and Johnson has talked at length about starting fresh this season. And the work starts now during the offseason program.
Ahead of Thursday's practice, Johnson met with the media to discuss the start of OTAs, which are definitely much smoother than at this time last year. He also shared his message for the team, which starts with building a strong foundation and laying out the ground rules for new and returning players.
"What we talked about with the players yesterday is building our foundation," Johnson said. "I think we're off to a really good start and (that) has a lot to do with how we go about our business, particularly now that we're on the grass together as a full 90-man roster, coaches and players together on this thing. What we want our body language to be like, what we want our finish to be like, the communication, our daily habits, the discipline, the consistency with which we want to approach each and every day. (Wednesday) was a great start for us."
Johnson understands the importance of laying the groundwork for success during the offseason program, preaching good habits and setting expectations for the upcoming season. Last year, Johnson led a tough training camp -- the most difficult that former Bears veteran Kevin Byard had ever experienced -- and that played a big part in the team's preparation for Chicago's first winning season since 2018. That will no doubt be in play again as Johnson looks to get his team back to the playoffs in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson's message to team focuses on building foundation