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Bears coach Ben Johnson focused on 2025, skipping summer vacation

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI | By Bryan Perez | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 11:32 AM ET

The Chicago Bears are officially on their summer break. Sort of.

For coaches like Ben Johnson, guys with a reputation for being the best at their craft, vacations aren't part of their vernacular. Instead, a little time off here, leaving the office a little earlier there, that's about all the rest they get.

Johnson outlined his summer plans in Year 1 as Bears head coach, and, as expected, it'll be more about work than relaxation.

“I think you can get some creative juices flowing as you start studying some of the tapes from around the league and some other places — maybe college ball," Johnson said this week from Halas Hall. "I’ve had a process that I’m committed to."

“I’ll be in and out of the office a good bit,” he said.

Johnson noted that he believes his approach to the summer, one that's tilted toward work rather than time off, will give the Bears a head start on a season that's become much more important than the usual first year of a team reset after a 12-loss campaign.

“I have always viewed the summer as a great opportunity to get ahead a little bit,” Johnson said.

The Bears will need to expedite their learning curve under Johnson. Chicago kicks off the 2025 season on Monday Night Football against the division foe Minnesota Vikings, a team that won 14 games last year. Johnson will have a golden opportunity to launch his Bears career to the moon with a win in the opener on prime time against a club that most industry analysts predict will be a playoff contender in 2025.

But, as always, there's a big difference between wishful thinking and actual results on the field. And while the Chicago Bears have long been the NFL's offseason winner, it's up to Johnson to change that narrative from offseason victories to wins when it really counts.

Chicago Bears training camp will have a distinctly different vibe this year, one that will stress consistency, hard work, and attention to detail. Indeed, that's what training camp should always be about, but the Bears have lacked the necessary leadership in recent years to stay on task.

That won't be the case this year, not with Ben Johnson calling the shots.

“As these guys walk away, they understand what the expectation level is.” Johnson said.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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