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The Chicago Bears made a splash with the Ben Johnson hire, and general manager Ryan Poles might get a little longer leash, too. Also, here’s how a fan’s tequila shot gift to Kevin Warren played a role in the hiring of Johnson.
If Warren, the team’s president, had any doubt about what the fans wanted him to do, it disappeared when he and his wife ate dinner at Old Pueblo Cantina in Chicago, according to espn.com.
With the Lions’ loss playing out on the bar’s big screen, Bears fan Chris Stein sent two shots of tequila to the Warrens with a note written by Stein’s girlfriend, Ryanne Braun.
“Kevin, Please, hire Ben!!”
Warren responded by sending back two shots. Message received.
It must have been music to the Bears’ front office to hear Johnson talk about more than offense after the hiring process.
“Listen, it’s no secret that I was being portrayed as an offensive guru,” Johnson said. “Whether I was quality control, position coach, tight end coach, receivers coach, coordinator, I’m whatever the job requires me to be.
“And so that’s where I really wanted to let those people know on every call that I had, that there was more substance than maybe I articulated in any media session or what you might see on the sideline.”
Of course, Johnson will be expected to turn Caleb Williams into an elite NFL quarterback.
“Having a quarterback helps,” Johnson said. “There’s several reasons why I wanted this job. The first is, this place. For the last 10-plus years, my family and I have been coming up for a Cubs series every summer. And it doesn’t take long to realize this place is special. These people are special.
“No. 2, is this roster that Ryan’s already built. It is stocked. It’s loaded. Everyone wants to talk about the quarterback, and Caleb, I’m excited to work with you. But it’s going to take more than just you. And there are a lot of pieces already in place. And I can’t wait to get to work with the rest of you guys.”
Still, Williams said Johnson is going to turn him loose.
“He told me that it’ll be my offense,” Williams said. “He’s going to build around me, but also, he’s going to test me. He’s going to challenge me in the offseason.”
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