Bears’ Ben Johnson Gets Honest About Loss to Vikings

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson saw his team blow a 17–6 lead against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday in his debut with the team.

Caleb Williams (18) of the Chicago Bears talks with head coach Ben Johnson during Chicago Bears OTA Offseason Workout at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Ill., on June 4, 2025. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson didn’t see his debut turn out as planned when his team blew a 17–6 lead in the fourth quarter on Monday against the Minnesota Vikings.

After the Bears (0–1) held the Vikings (1–0) to just two field goals through three quarters, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy took off in his regular-season debut. He threw two touchdown passes to wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Aaron Jones to turn the tide of the game in a 27–24 victory over the Bears.

“We said going into Week 1 that the team that would make the least number of mistakes would win the game, and unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of that,” Johnson told reporters afterward. “We made too many there late in the game, myself included.”

“There were a number of things that I could have done better, a number of things that a number of guys could have done better,” Johnson added.

Johnson took the helm this year after his tenure with the Detroit Lions as the offensive coordinator. He came in amid high expectations to take the Bears to another level after years of floundering and make the most of the 2024 No. 1 pick and starting quarterback Caleb Williams.

After all, former No. 1 pick and Lions quarterback Jared Goff thrived with Johnson in the Motor City. Week 1 of the new season didn’t bring much for early returns for Johnson and Williams as the former USC star and Heisman Trophy winner went 21–35 for 210 yards and a touchdown, plus 58 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

“I thought Caleb played well to start the game for the most part, finding completions and getting us moving,” Johnson said.

Most notably, Williams didn’t put away the Vikings with an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, but he tried to rally his team late with his lone touchdown pass of the game. Williams recognizes that this needs to change going forward.

“We felt like we were dominating the game,” Williams told reporters afterward. “We were in control up to two scores.”

“That mentality is something that we have, something that we preach. That didn’t happen today,” he added.

Williams drove the Bears to a touchdown on the opening drive, capped by a 9-yard run. He then led the Bears to a field goal on a nine-play, 40-yard drive in the final minute of the second quarter for a 10–3 lead.

Chicago’s offense even got some help in the third quarter when cornerback Nahshon Wright picked off McCarthy for a 74-yard return for a touchdown. However, the Bears’ defense didn’t have answers following the pick-six when the Vikings found a rhythm in the fourth quarter.

“The defense did a really good job until the very end,” Johnson said. “That fourth quarter, things got away from us a little bit. But up until then, they kept us in that ballgame.”

Despite the loss, Williams saw positives. The Bears can bounce back in Week 2 against the Lions (0–1) for a big NFC North game where both teams need a win.

“I think there was a lot of good there,” Williams said. “Our communication. He was getting the plays in fast. Being able to get out of the huddle, we need to be better with that. Being able to get up to the line, make checks. I think it’s a growing process. It’s going to keep growing from here.”

“The start, this is the start, but definitely not the end,” Williams added. “We‘ll keep growing. We’ll keep being passionate about this offense, him and I, passionate about this team and winning.”

The Vikings, meanwhile, will look to keep rolling with McCarthy as the new quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons (0–1) coming to Minneapolis in a Week 2 Sunday night game.