It’s been an uneven year for Bears star receiver DJ Moore, with just 403 yards and a touchdown through eight games. But Moore’s head coach, Ben Johnson, doesn’t seem to be losing faith in him.
In fact, as the rookie coach told reporters during press availability on Friday, Moore’s perception within the building appears to be far different than the one fans and media have.
“I mean, you talk about a guy that comes into work with a smile on his face every single day,” Johnson said this week. “He loves
football. I love what he’s about right now. … I think he’s providing a great example for a lot of our young players as well.”
That kind of praise means a lot of weight from Johnson, especially amid a season where Moore’s body language and energy have drawn scrutiny from fans and analysts. There have been moments — missed routes, visible frustration on the sideline — that have raised questions about his engagement, even in an offense that has established itself as one of the NFL’s best.
But Johnson’s comments paint a picture of a player who’s remained committed through the noise and the ups and downs of a team still finding its offensive identity.
Part of the challenge for Moore and the Bears offense as a whole this year has been systemic. Literally. Johnson came in and installed a new offense with a young quarterback in Williams, who is still developing consistency and has struggled at times with off-target throws. He and Moore have also missed a few times on more chemistry-related issues where they just haven’t seen eye-to-eye. Plus, the effort question — fair or not — hangs over him.
That’s why Johnson’s endorsement feels so significant.
At a time when he could be pouting, he’s finding new ways to contribute and keep it professional. Between him and Rome Odunze being able to shrug off his father’s overzealous critiques of the Bears’ offense, Chicago’s receiver room has managed to keep things remarkably un-divalike, all things considered.
And it’s not as if Moore hasn’t had his moments. His 17-yard touchdown run against the Bengals and touchdown pass to Caleb Williams, in addition to his four catches for 72 yards, showed how much of an impact the eighth-year pro can still have in this new iteration of Chicago’s offense. Plus, he now has more than 70 receiving yards in each of his last two games after failing to top 50 yards for five straight weeks — a sign that he and Williams (and the offense generally) are starting to gel.
The Bears will need this improved version of DJ Moore as they head into the season’s second half. Whatever his numbers are, he at least seems to have the faith of his coach and team.
