Chicago Bears Week 3 hero has more to prove to keep his job, per insider 7 Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson on the sidelines during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Ben Johnson surprisingly forthright on Chicago Bears’ playoff chances

Originally posted on ChiCitySports | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 7:57 PM ET

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson knows a thing or two about winning cultures.

After all, Johnson was the Lions’ play-caller in 2023, when the Lions barnstormed to an NFC Championship Game appearance and last season helped guide Detroit back to the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

That winning culture is one of the reasons the Bears made Johnson a top priority during last winter’s hiring cycle, and are so optimistic about the future. Through the first nine games of the season, Johnson is already delivering results, guiding the Bears to a 6-3 start, including wins in five of the past six games and four come-from-behind wins, along the way.

Ben Johnson doesn’t duck from Chicago Bears playoff expectations

Ahead of a colossal showdown against the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, in a Week 11 clash with major postseason implications, Johnson didn’t shy away from a question about the Bears’ chances of making the playoffs in his first season at the helm.

“We understand the urgency that’s at hand,” Johnson told reporters. “We know where we are in the NFC right now. But I think the biggest thing in the message to the team is we’re a 6-3 team right now that’s looking to get to 7-3.”

Where some head coaches would have deflected the focus back to the Vikings, immediately, Johnson tackled the question pretty head-on.

The Bears haven’t made the postseason since falling to the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card round, back in 2020, but Chicago is playing like a team capable of making a run.

If the season ended today, Johnson and the Bears would be the No. 6 seed in the conference, staring down a matchup against Johnson’s former team, in Detroit, on Wild Card Weekend.

This article first appeared on ChiCitySports and was syndicated with permission.

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