Bears Coach Ben Johnson Catching Blame For Packers DT Javon Hargrave's Injury
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Bears Coach Ben Johnson Catching Blame For Packers DT Javon Hargrave's Injury
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) checks on defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (98) as Hargrave is carted off the field with an injury against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game, 31-7.Tork Mason/Green Bay Press-Gazette | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Mike Moraitis·Chicago Bears On SI
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3 min read
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There is a silly narrative going around that Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is to blame for the season-ending injury to Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
Late in the fourth quarter of theWeek 5 game between the Bearsand Packers, Green Bay was well ahead and had the game in hand, but on the Bears' final drive, Johnson was still calling pass plays instead of simply running the clock out while down 31-7.
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During one of those pass plays that came around the two-minute mark, Hargrave got injured and he was unfortunately diagnosedwith a torn Achilles, which will obviously end his season.
Some Packers fans on social media were furious with Johnson and blamed him for the injury because he could have simply run the clock out and ended the game quicker.
"If Ben Johnson's petty a** just took the L and didn't call 3 timeouts with 4 mins left this wouldn't have happened,"one Packers fan said.
"Exactly what I said on watch party. Couldn't just run the ball and take the L with dignity. Had to be a b**** about it,"CheeseheadTV's Aaron Naglerresopnded.
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Even FOX announcer Greg Olsen questioned Johnson's decision to keep playing it out after Hargrave got hurt.
"You're Ben Johnson, you're using your timeouts, you're extending the game, you're always trying to speak to your team through your decisions of saying, 'Alright, we're gonna fight to the end.' At what cost?"Olsen said.
A silly take
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson shake hands following the game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Wm. Glasheen USAToday Network via IMAGN images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
All of this is, of course, absurd.
Now, playing devil's advocate here, it's easy to just say head coach Matt LaFleur should pull his starters, but Hargrave isn't a starter.
On the flip side of that, if Hargrave was someone of consequence to the Packers, which he is considering he played 46% of snaps this year before his injury, LaFleur should have pulled him.
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The Packers were shorthanded along the defensive line, so that may not have been possible, but that still does not mean anyone should be blaming Johnson, or even LaFleur, for that matter.
That injury could have happened at any point, and even on a run play while Chicago was running out the clock, so to point to the Bears head coach's decision to keep throwing the ball as the reason Hargrave got hurt is just ridiculous.
This is the NFL and injuries can happen at any time in any given game. Unless an injury is the result of a dirty play, which is not the case here, there is no blame to be placed on anyone.
