Just over 48 hours until the Chicago Bears take the field at Soldier Field for the first time in the 2025-26 season on Monday Night against the Minnesota Vikings. 

With the extra day, the Bears practiced on Saturday, getting their final preparation for the week 1 divisional opponent. 

Head coach Ben Johnson put it bluntly this morning: whether it’s Caleb Williams, defense or special teams, all he wants to see is his team do enough to win the game. 

When Johnson was asked about the commitment from Williams, both on and off the football field, and whether it meets his expectations, Johnson deferred the question, not wanting to single out the quarterback, but instead complimented the entirety of the team’s commitment to making the Bears a better team in 2025. 

“We like to single out the quarterback, but it’s everybody in this building,” Johnson said. “We’re professionals, and everyone likes to think professional football is still a game, a kids’ game, it is, but this is also how we feed our families, and we are dependent on each other to get that job done. 

“I’m grateful for the guys in the locker room; they all embrace that mindset. Everyone in this building certainly when I see them, they are dialed in, locked in. I can’t say enough good things about our whole roster from top to bottom. I have been thoroughly impressed from the springtime through training camp, here into week 1, how locked in they are. That’s the expectation, is that we are all in this thing for each other, and we don’t want to let our buddies down.” 

The attention is certainly on Williams, who enters his second NFL season, and first under Johnson, who has come in and challenged Williams to take the next step. The goal is for Johnson and Williams to coexist and be on the same page to elevate the Bears’ offensive play. 

Johnson said earlier in the week that how Williams approaches practice will determine how he calls the game on Monday. 

“He’s had two good days of practice, and we have another practice today,” Johnson said. 

Hesitant to give an answer that wouldn’t relieve too much of the Bears’ strengths and weaknesses ahead of Monday’s game, Johnson said he feels he and his staff feel really good about the game plan.

Johnson thoughts ahead of his head coaching debut

The other aspect, aside from the players taking the field, is Johnson’s regular-season head coaching debut. Having stayed an extra couple of years in Detroit, not yet ready to become a head coach, the time has now arrived. 

“I’ve learned from everyone I’ve been around,” Johnson said. “The good, the bad, and everything in between, so I’ve certainly learned a lot of lessons there,” 

From the time Johnson was hired in late January, through OTAs and training camp, it has been a structure of building blocks to ensure everyone is on the same page.

“Listen, I feel comfortable going into this thing, I’m surrounded by a lot of really good people, and I can’t stress that enough, I really can’t,” he said. “The coaching staff is top-notch, and it’s just the next step. Everyone has a first time for everything, so this is just the first time I’m a head coach in the regular season.” 

Injury situation for week 1

As far as the players and their injury health headed into week 1, Johnson did say that after missing Thursday and Friday’s practice, linebacker T.J. Edwards is doubtful, dealing with a hamstring injury that appeared late in training camp. 

This is a big blow for Chicago if Edwards does miss the game on Monday, but it will give Bears’ fourth-round rookie, Ruben Hyppolite II, a chance to start in his first NFL game. 

“He’s really come into his own. He’s really smart, takes it seriously, really athletic, and (Dennis Allen) and that side of the ball have really grown to think that he’s someone that we can depend on, even though we are going to have the bright lights of Monday Night Football,” Johnson said. 

Roschon Johnson, who has also missed the last two days of practice with a foot injury, is likely to miss Monday’s game, and despite only having three active backs on the 53-man roster, Ben Johnson feels confident in D’Andre Swift and his abilities, along with the status of Kyle Monangai, who was limited with a hamstring on Friday. 

The big question remains the status of cornerback Jaylon Johson, who, after dealing with a lingering groin injury all of camp, recently had his calf give him problems. After being listed as a limited participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, Johnson, who said his reps are increasing, smiled and said, “We’ll see on that one.” 

Devin Duvernay and Dominique Robinson have both been full participants, and Josh Blackwell has also missed the last two days of practice with a groin injury.