Fans in Chicago often take it personally when a player leaves town and ends up with a division rival. That frustration tends to grow even stronger when the player then tries to win over his new fanbase by criticizing his former team — something that has happened before, notably with Adrian Amos.

When Ben Johnson departed the Detroit Lions to accept the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, the move immediately became one of the league’s most talked-about storylines. Many observers wondered whether the Lions organization felt blindsided or if tension existed behind the scenes.

Publicly, however, there was little indication of any animosity. Both Johnson and Detroit head coach Dan Campbell consistently spoke respectfully about each other whenever the topic came up. During his introductory press conference in Chicago, Johnson even described Campbell as someone who could contend for Coach of the Year regularly. In the same appearance, he jokingly took a jab at Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers.

Some insight into Detroit’s locker room reaction finally emerged when former Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone spoke with NFL insider Jordan Schultz. According to Anzalone, Johnson leaving Detroit itself wasn’t shocking — but the destination certainly caught some players off guard.

Anzalone explained that while many expected Johnson to eventually become a head coach somewhere, choosing Chicago surprised people because of how close he appeared to be with Campbell and because the Bears are a divisional opponent.

Even with that element of surprise, it’s hard to argue Johnson deserved criticism for taking the opportunity. He was widely viewed as the top coaching candidate available that offseason, and Chicago was considered one of the most attractive openings in the league. From a career perspective, the pairing made sense.

Anzalone also made it clear that he respects Johnson’s coaching ability. During the interview, he acknowledged the rapid progress Chicago made under Johnson, noting that an offense built around a talented quarterback can succeed quickly if the defense is even moderately effective.

Looking back at the season, determining which side truly “won” the situation isn’t entirely straightforward.

From a Chicago perspective, optimism is easy to understand. Johnson oversaw a dramatic offensive turnaround with the Bears. After finishing last in the NFL in total offense the previous season, Chicago jumped to ninth in total yards. That type of improvement in just one year is rare and helped fuel excitement about the franchise’s future.

Detroit, meanwhile, experienced a more uneven year offensively after Johnson’s departure. Despite still having high-end talent like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jared Goff, the offense lacked the same consistency. The Lions finished 9-8 and last in the division, and offensive coordinator John Morton eventually lost play-calling duties late in the season before being dismissed after the year.

Still, if the conversation centers on head-to-head results, Detroit clearly had the upper hand. The Lions defeated Chicago twice, including a dominant 52-21 victory in Week 2 when Johnson returned to Detroit for the first time as Bears head coach.

That early blowout could be dismissed as part of Chicago’s growing pains, especially considering the progress the Bears showed later in the season. However, Detroit also won the rematch in the season finale. Although the game didn’t carry playoff implications, it still mattered internally — neither team rested its starters.

Because of that, Johnson has yet to defeat his former team.

Oddly enough, those losses might actually benefit Chicago going forward. Competitors like Johnson rarely forget defeats like that, and it’s easy to imagine the results motivating him heading into future matchups.

Given Johnson’s reputation for creativity and competitiveness, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s already planning ways to flip the script the next time the Bears face Detroit. It’s difficult to imagine the Lions sweeping Chicago again in 2026, especially with Johnson determined to prove a point against his old team.