Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson seems like an intense guy. And it doesn’t just apply to his players, it applies to reporters at press conferences.
We saw Johnson’s intensity and focus on multiple occasions last season, whether it was celebrating shirtless with his players in the locker room or some pugnacious halftime interviews. He even called out Troy Aikman when it came to defending star quarterback Caleb Williams.
June should be one of the more relaxing times on the NFL calendar with teams slowly beginning the journey to get ready for the next season. With OTAs starting around the NFL, Ben Johnson met with the assembled press in Chicago for a brief media session. And because it’s the early season and people are still getting back into business mode, a phone started to ring that was presumably recording Johnson’s quotes at the podium.
But the Bears head coach did not do what some coaches might and have a laugh or even pick it up to answer it. Not even the middle of the offseason was the right time for a light-hearted moment. Instead, Johnson
The first time the phone went off, Johnson responded with a startled, “Oh, my.” He then followed with a more biting remark when it happened a second time, saying, “Does somebody want to take their phone so I’m not interrupted again.”
It’s bad enough to have your phone go off in the middle of a press conference and get called out for it in front of the person you cover and your peers. It’s even worse when it’s a generic ringtone. That just adds insult to injury.
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