LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Ben Johnson's time in Detroit — a formative experience that led to his current job as coach of the Chicago Bears — was shaped in part by going against Aaron Glenn's defense in practice with the Lions.
Johnson remembers it well.
“He certainly lights a fire under you," he said. “I still remember to this day being next to him in training camp, and you can hear him. You can hear him. And when the defense makes a play, he lets you know."
Johnson goes up against Glenn once again on Sunday when the Bears host the New York Jets. Glenn took over in New York in January 2025, right after Johnson was hired by Chicago.
Johnson, 40, was the offensive coordinator for Detroit while Glenn, 54, was the defensive coordinator with the Lions. Glenn faced their former boss last weekend, losing to 31-24 to Dan Campbell's Lions in Detroit.
Glenn recalled planning for practice with Johnson in one of their first meetings after he took over the offense.
“Just having those conversations and seeing how he put things together, and then just talking offensive and defensive football was good to have,” Glenn said. "But the one thing, we were so competitive in move-the-ball situations on how we wanted to beat each other, but it made both of us better, I will say that. He’s a damn good coach.”
Glenn and New York are preparing for a Chicago team with an uncertain situation at quarterback, at least publicly. Caleb Williams is rehabbing a right hamstring injury. Case Keenum passed for two touchdowns in Monday night's win over Philadelphia, but Johnson hasn't identified the starter for the matchup with the Jets.
Chicago also could go with Tyson Bagent, who emerged from the NFL’s concussion protocol on Sunday.
Whoever gets the call for the Bears will face an improved Jets defense, directed by Glenn, who was a defensive back in the NFL for 15 seasons.
“You can see how he played the game as a player has translated to how he coaches, and his guys take that same identity as well,” Johnson said. "Like I said, a ton of respect for him and he’s a heck of a competitor.”
New York Jets (1-2) at Chicago (2-1).
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox.
Latest odds: Bears by 3 1/2.
Against the spread: Jets 2-1, Bears 2-1.
Last week: Jets lost to the Lions 31-24; Bears beat the Eagles 27-7.
Last meeting: Jets beat the Bears 31-10 on Nov. 27, 2022.
Series record: Bears lead 9-4.
Jets WR Garrett Wilson vs. Bears CB Jaylon Johnson. Wilson is coming off his best game of the season, catching 10 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown in last weekend's loss at Detroit. Wilson was a rookie the previous time the teams played, and he scored on receptions of 8 and 54 yards in a runaway victory for the Jets in 2022. Johnson has played a role in an impressive turnaround for Chicago's defense after a rough Week 1 at Carolina.
— The Jets enter with the NFL’s second-ranked defense, allowing 258.3 yards per game.
— New York has not had an interception in an NFL-record 20 consecutive games. The Jets’ most recent INT came in the 2024 season finale, when Ashtyn Davis had two against Miami.
— Geno Smith leads the NFL with a 75.5% completion rate, the highest by a Jets quarterback through Week 3 in franchise history with a minimum of three starts. He has passed for 783 yards and four TDs with no interceptions.
— Third-year RB Braelon Allen will likely serve as the primary ballcarrier out of the backfield with Breece Hall expected to be sidelined with a quadriceps injury.
— Chicago allowed a total of 16 points in the second half of its first three games.
— D'Andre Swift has 253 yards rushing for Chicago, and Kyle Monangai has 178. They could become the first duo to each rush for more than 200 yards for the Bears in the first four weeks of a season since Walter Payton and Roland Harper in 1978.
— Bears safety Dillon Thieneman leads the team with 21 total tackles. He is the only rookie in the NFL with at least 20 tackles, an INT and at least three passes defensed.
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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.
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