Bears' Lack of Penalties Shows Growth in Ben Johnson's Coaching Staff
After a season plagued by costly flags, the Chicago Bears displayed discipline in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, signaling a promising start for the coaching staff ahead of the 2026 regular season.
Video Transcript
What's going on everybody?
Nicholas Moriano here from Roundtable Sports.
In the Bears' 34 to 10 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at Soldier Field, a majority of backups did something that the Bears didn't do all throughout the 2025 regular season.
Ben Johnson talked about it post-game and highlighted the team's disciplined brand of football.
Here's what the head coach had to say.
"Proud of our guys and how they played.
We talked about being disciplined in all three phases, and we really saw that today.
Two penalties on the day from all three phases.
We haven't had a practice yet with that few of fouls.
That was really encouraging to see.
They took that to heart.
I don't know if I've ever been a part of a preseason where that's been the case in my career, so credit to them."
And since Ben Johnson's joined the Chicago Bears, he hasn't had a preseason with that few penalties.
Went back, looked at the three preseason games from last year, week three at Kansas City, eight penalties for 80 yards.
Week two versus Buffalo, five penalties for 63 yards, and week one versus Miami, seven penalties for 41 yards.
And going back to the regular season, 2025, the Bears, the fewest amount of penalties they had in a game was in week nine against the New York Giants.
Three times they were penalized, and that was their season low.
They were flagged a season high 12 times against the Minnesota Vikings in week one in Ben Johnson's first game as the Bears head coach.
They gradually got better throughout the year.
I think there's a combination of things that attributed to that, one being familiar with the offensive and defensive systems for guys that were learning these systems for the first time, but also just time on task, getting reps.
So the Bears improved throughout the season, but they were still, if you look at it, the 120 penalties that the Bears had last year, that was the sixth most in the NFL.
So obviously an area that needs improvement and although it was a preseason game, majority of backups for both teams, it still sh- highlighted that Ben Johnson's staff got all of these players that maybe are making a NFL debut for the first time, guys that are n- they're not familiar with calling plays for, all these different factors, played a relatively clean brand of football.
And we know that Ben Johnson is not shy about setting these high standards for his football team.
So yes, it was a preseason game.
Yes, it was against the Browns, but it still is a reminder that this team now has a new standard, two penalties.
Can the Bears achieve that low of mark in the regular season?
Obviously, we have to wait and see if that's the case, but that's just another way for the Bears to maybe find motivation in an area that they struggled with last season, looking at some of these backups, what they did in their preseason opener on Saturday, and it's just a reminder that this team can always find ways to improve.
Having fewer penalties is definitely a way this team can get better and something to strive for in the 2026 NFL season.
