As the Chicago Bears head into Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, the anticipation is finally giving way to football. With the Bears set to open their season Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, head coach Ben Johnson met with the media Friday before the regular-season opener.
With kickoff just days away, Johnson reflected on training camp and the offseason as a whole. Throughout camp, Johnson’s tone regarding the team has been noticeably different than it was last offseason. He has shown a great deal
of optimism around this team.
That optimism appears to stem, in large part, from the work Johnson has seen from his players throughout the offseason. He’s spoken highly of their willingness to put in the extra time, hard work, and effort it takes to become a real contender this year.
Johnson pointed to the effort he’s seeing on a regular basis, noting that it gives the Bears a better chance to succeed on Sundays.
Ben Johnson believes the Bears are practicing at a championship level entering 2026. Sarah Denicolo has more.“Here’s what I’m excited about: how hard [the players] are working on a regular basis right now,” Johnson said. “I think I made a comment last year about we’re not practicing at a championship level yet, and I’m not saying that this year. These guys, the work that they’re putting in throughout the week, it doesn’t guarantee you a win on Sunday, but it gives you a darn chance. So, I’m happy about what I’m seeing from all those guys, and as a result of that, they all get better.”
In the first few weeks of last season, the Bears played sloppy football. A plethora of penalties and mistakes highlighted a lack of attention to detail, something Johnson acknowledged when he said the team was not yet practicing at a championship level.
This year, however, Johnson is pleased with the meaningful progress the team has made in that area. The difference isn’t simply about how hard the Bears are working. It’s about developing the habits necessary to consistently execute at a high level.
Developing a strong work ethic and attention to detail were points of emphasis for the team during the offseason, along with game management and end-of-half situational football, as Johnson noted during Friday’s presser.
“We’ll see if we can bring that to light or not, but it takes some coordination of all three phases working together,” Johnson said.
On Sunday’s season opener, we’ll see how the hard work the Bears’ players and coaches have put in throughout the offseason translates to the regular season. Will that work immediately translate into improved execution, or will the team need a few weeks to fully gel? Either way, Sunday will provide the first real test of whether the progress Johnson has seen throughout the offseason can carry over when the games count.
