Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Ben Johnson agreed to become the next Bears head coach a year ago Tuesday.
That seems forever ago — and not because the Bears just went 11-6 and advanced farther in the playoffs than they had in the past 15 years. The dysfunction that Johnson inherited — and that forced the Bears to make their first in-season head coach firing ever — has been replaced by a culture shift that extends beyond the field of play.
“He’s been the catalyst for us,” quarterback Caleb Williams said Monday. “To be able to lead us, to be able to stand strong in tough moments and good moments, to be able to show emotion, be able to be who he is and be consistent with that and do what he said he was going to do.