While the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears won't square off for the first time in 2026 until Week 12, fans were still treated to some lighthearted trash talk as Week 4 approaches. Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who was with the Lions from 2019-2024 and the team's offensive coordinator from 2022 through 2024, joked about his former quarterback, Jared Goff, during a recent press conference.
When discussing Case Keenum's performance in the Bears' Week 3 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, Johnson joked that he had experience with "not-so-mobile" quarterbacks, referencing Goff.
#Bears HC Ben Johnson with a friendly dig at Jared Goff 😅 pic.twitter.com/TDkWTDOv0o
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 29, 2026
Johnson was obviously being sarcastic and laughed at the comment, but afterward, Goff revealed
on the St. Brown Podcast that his former offensive coordinator had actually called him to make sure he knew it wasn't meant to be taken seriously.
“Ben can’t seem to get out of his way when he’s talking to the media, so I know there was no ill intent to that..." Goff said. "He called me this morning and was like, ‘dude, you know that means nothing.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, dude, you're good, don't worry about it.'"
"(Ben) called me this morning and was like 'Dude, you know that means nothing.'"
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) September 30, 2026
Jared Goff speaks on Ben Johnson's "not so mobile" comment 🗣️ https://t.co/tbsqxuxUYN pic.twitter.com/Z563Ek0dXA
No harm done by Johnson's lighthearted jab at Goff, as the quarterback appeared to take it in stride. That's not surprising considering the two likely have a strong relationship off the field, although that won't change the importance of two late-season matchups between the Bears and Lions, who'll meet in Week 17 along with the aforementioned Week 12 game.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Jared Goff responds after Ben Johnson calls his former QB 'not so mobile'
