We’re learning about how Ben Johnson will function as Bears head coach day-by-day, game-by-game. Same with his players. Interactions are stacking up that provide small glimpses into his mind, with telling actions about how he reacts in certain situations.

We know about the intensity and detail-orientation. We know about adherence to the standard set this spring. Players had learned about Johnson as a head coach running a meeting, a practice.

A game is another thing. Johnson must balance demands as a game manager and offensive play caller well. Part of that is being a voice inside the quarterback’s helmet. There’s limited time to relay play calls and instruction, but the Caleb Williams and presumed backup Tyson Bagent are learning about some differences in the voice in their ear.

Ben Johnson in a game is surely different than Ben Johnson in practice.

“He’s a lot calmer on game day on the mic than he is in practice,” Williams said. “It’s great.”

The practices differences are pronounced, with far greater freedom – and no ticking clock where the in-helmet speaker shuts off 15 seconds before the play clock ends – to, well, colorfully instruct.

“When we’re in practice, he’s probably more likely to have a conversation with you, maybe, in between plays – hold off on the play, cuss you out, maybe,” Bagent said with a laugh. “On game day, he does a good job of staying even keel, keeping things rolling and keeping it very business-like, which I like. No hesitation, spitting it out and keeping it rolling.”

The quarterbacks are given earpieces tapped into the offensive play-calling channel when they’re not the chosen passer, able to listen in on the plays being called. Williams took note of something Johnson expressed to Bagent.

The Bears had a fourth down in the first half, but it was clear the Bears were going for it.

“He was like, ‘We’re going to go get this right here,’” Williams said. “It’s just small notes like that, that are encouraging in the moment. It’s something that I don’t know if he knows and he’s conscious of it, but it’s important to us QBs when we’re out there having those small notes. He’s a lot calmer on game days in the mic and that’s a small note.”

Bagent responded well to Johnson’s confidence.

“I didn’t even look out to the sideline to see if the (special teams) unit was coming on,” Bagent said. “I expected us to go for it right there. For a head coach to make decision like that so fast and so quick shows the confidence he has in us. We just have to keep being good on those downs to he can keep making those decisions as quickly as he does.”

We’ve talked and written a ton about Johnson’s practice intensity and his high-standard-setting nature. But the ability to exude calm and confidence on game-day is key to building two-way trust with his players.

Trust creates comradery and belief that the right decisions are being made, which leads this Bears team to take on Johnson’s personality.

“Absolutely. I think that all energy is contagious, especially when he is the main guy talking in front of the whole team,” Bagent said. “You can see how dialed in he is, how much he cares about this whole thing that we have going on. I think that players definitely feed off of that. 100%.”

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