Mike Tomlin Told to Follow Ben Johnson’s Playbook as Bears HC Makes Things Right Amid Controversy

Colin Cowherd’s voice crackled through the airwaves like a halftime pep talk gone rogue: “Where you land, you know, this is 75% of the game for a quarterback.” Translation? The NFL isn’t just about talent—it’s about the ecosystem. And right now, under Ben Johnson’s Playbook, the Chicago Bears are planting seeds in a garden they hope Caleb Williams can bloom in.

Meanwhile, 400 miles east, Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in a ‘Groundhog Day’ loop of “almosts.” The question isn’t whether Tomlin can win—he’s 183–107–2, for crying out loud—it’s whether he can finally evolve.

Tomlin’s crossroads—Legacy vs. stagnation

In Pittsburgh, Tomlin’s résumé glistens: 18 straight non-losing seasons, two Super Bowl trips, and a .630 win percentage. But lately, the Steel City soundtrack feels more Succession theme than Renegade. Playoff exits? Six straight. Critics? Louder than a ‘Terrible Towel’ wave. “If I would have told you… there’s this company that’s chosen you… but they have a hundred-year history of not getting your position right. Would you not be concerned?” Cowherd quipped, comparing Tomlin’s QB carousel to the Bears’ past sins.

Tomlin’s 2025 strategy? Double down on grit. Drafting run-stuffer Derrick Harmon, trading for DK Metcalf—it’s a throwback to the 2008 Steelers. But here’s the rub: While Johnson modernizes Chicago, Tomlin risks becoming a relic. His QBs? A 39-year-old Aaron Rodgers (maybe), Mason Rudolph, and a rookie. The O-line?

Still patchwork. “Baker Mayfield… finds McVay and he finds Liam Cohen. What do you know? Baker looks like a top 12–13 quarterback,” Cowherd jabbed, underscoring how coaching alchemy can resurrect careers. Tomlin’s challenge isn’t just schematic—it’s philosophical. The NFL’s a league where, as Cowherd put it, “Geno Smith or a Tua or a Jared Goff… get a second chance” under offensive savants.

Pittsburgh’s last offensive innovation? Probably when they invented the forward pass. To avoid becoming the NFL’s answer to Cyberpunk 2077 launch—all hype, no execution—Tomlin might need to borrow a page from Johnson’s playbook: prioritize the trenches, embrace modernity, and maybe, just maybe, let go of the ‘Steeler Way’ long enough to write a new chapter.

The Bears’ redemption arc—From quarterback graveyard to greenhouse

Let’s rewind to 2024. Williams, USC’s golden-armed prodigy, wasn’t just sweating the draft—he was drafting escape routes. His father, Carl, bluntly told agents, “I don’t want my son playing for the Bears.” Why? Chicago’s QB history reads like a horror anthology.

Mitchell Trubisky’s misfires, Justin Fields’ false dawns, and a fanbase that’s mastered the art of coping via deep-dish pizza. “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” Carl spat to Seth Wickersham in American Kings. The Williams clan even flirted with the UFL, lawyers on speed dial, scheming to dodge the draft like it was a blitzing linebacker.

But then came Ben Johnson, the Lions’ offensive whisperer, who turned Jared Goff from “meh” to MVP chatter. Hired as Bears HC this January, Johnson didn’t just bring playbooks—he brought a blueprint. “What’s the first thing Ben Johnson did? Clean up the offensive line for his young quarterback,” Cowherd noted, throwing shade at Tomlin’s decade-long O-line neglect.

Johnson lured Pro Bowl guard Joe Thuney and center Drew Dalman, building a fortress for Williams. Suddenly, the kid who once muttered, “Do I want to go there? I don’t think I can do it with [Shane] Waldron,” was all-in: “I really can’t wait to get to work with these guys.”

The Bears’ culture shift isn’t just about X’s and O’s—it’s vibes. Williams, after a rookie year where he was sacked 68 times (yikes), now has a mentor who’s part Sean McVay, part life coach. “He’s super smart, super sharp,” Williams raved. Johnson, for his part, sees “a chance for greatness here.” It’s like watching Madden franchise mode IRL: GM Ryan Poles drafts a generational QB, hires a guru, and—poof—the ‘Same Old Bears’ narrative starts crumbling. Is it fair to compare them yet, though?

When the 2025 NFL schedule dropped, Bears fans circled November 23: Steelers at Soldier Field. It’s more than a game—it’s a clash of eras. For Williams and Johnson, it’s a chance to prove Chicago’s no longer a QB purgatory. For Tomlin? A reminder that legacy without evolution is just nostalgia. As Cowherd mused, “Cross your fingers on Ben Johnson.” But in Pittsburgh, they’re praying Tomlin’s next move isn’t a ‘Hail Mary’—it’s a checkdown to the future.

The post Mike Tomlin Told to Follow Ben Johnson’s Playbook as Bears HC Makes Things Right Amid Controversy appeared first on EssentiallySports.