Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has spent too much time in Halas Hall to fall for a sunny narrative in April.
Yes, he said, he’s intrigued about Ben Johnson, who was the hottest name on the coaching market. No, he said, preseason buildup about the Bears won’t mean anything in September.
He has felt that way for years, be it under coaches Matt Nagy, Matt Eberflus or Johnson.
“Hype don’t win you no games,” said Jaylon Johnson, who famously voiced his displeasure with former coach Matt Eberflus after the team’s Thanksgiving loss to the Lions. “I’ve been here a minute. I’ve been through the hype. And we don’t win no games. So, for me, if it’s not about winning, quite honestly, I don’t really care about it.
“I’ve been through it too many times, man. I’m going to get excited when we win in November. And December. And when we change some things and get into the playoffs. That’s when I’m going to get excited.”
The cornerback reported to the Bears’ voluntary offseason program Monday because, he said, he wanted to show respect to Ben Johnson and his coaching staff. The new head coach spoke in front of a team for the first time in his career Monday. He set a tone, the cornerback said, that he expects the Bears to win big.
“Just having that dominating mentality,” said Jaylon, who figures to shadow the best opposing receiver while playing mostly man coverage. “It starts now. It starts with the work we put in. It starts with jelling and being cohesive and understanding what they’re going to be asking of us.”
In September, on the eve of what would become a 5-12 season — after a 4-2 start — the cornerback said he was “done buying into the hype” about what the Bears could become. He repeated that stance Tuesday when asked whether this year felt different than previous seasons.
“I’ll see in camp to start,” he said. “And that’s when the real ball will show up. And then really through our season, we’ll see. Because things may start off rocky in the beginning and we’ll figure it out and things change throughout the back half or the middle of the season. Or we start off hot and then [poop] the bed. So, I mean, it kind of depends. To me, it’s about winning.
“And I feel like if we go out there and we win on Sundays, I’ll feel good about everybody.”
Jaylon Johnson is tired of the hype. He’s ready to win.
“Hype don’t win you no games.. If it’s not about winning, quite honestly, I don’t really care about it.” pic.twitter.com/uIcxux2d5Q
— Bears on CHSN (@CHSN_Bears) April 8, 2025
Johnson’s speech Monday covered high-minded ideas and mundane rules, such as where players were allowed to park. He told the players he’d never forget his first day speaking in front of them.
“[He] said a bunch of do’s, said a bunch of don’ts and set a precedent for what we’re going to be like as a team, finding our identity,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “We’re excited. Obviously, we have to put in the work.”
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said he could feel intensity from the coach — and a comfort level with speaking to an entire team for the first time in his career.
“The confidence level, being a first-time head coach and being able to address the room, that’s important,” Edmunds said. “You feel that as players, you feel that as everybody in the room. He stepped up there with confidence, guys were all ears, gave him the utmost respect. That’s what it’s all about. You feel that as players. I felt that.
“And I’m like, ‘OK, this guy is the real deal.’ We have the same mindset. That’s the thing I get most excited about. Even walking out of that room, it’s like, ‘OK, I feel the energy. Let’s put the work in as players now.’ ”
