Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown has expressed his frustrations over Ben Johnson leaving the Motor City to become the new head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Johnson, one of the most sought-after names in this year’s NFL coaching search, had been the Lions’ offensive coordinator for three seasons. He played a key role in transforming Detroit from a mediocre team into one of the league’s top contenders.

Johnson’s departure leaves a significant void, with St. Brown acknowledging that he’s happy for Johnson to get the opportunity to lead a team, but also frustrated that one of the main architects of the Lions’ resurgence is now with a division rival.

“Ben’s a traitor,” St. Brown said with a hint of humor. “Actually, he just called me a few minutes ago, maybe an hour ago. So, we talked for a bit, just messing around.”

“I told him, ‘For two times a year, Ben, we’re gonna f*** you up.’ He goes, ‘I’mma f*** you up.’”

The Bears and Lions face off twice each season as NFC North rivals, with Detroit dominating the series in recent years as Chicago has struggled to become one of the NFL’s elite teams.

St. Brown went on to say that his conversation with Johnson also included playful jabs about how each of them would gain the upper hand in their future Bears-Lions matchups.

The 25-year-old wide receiver added that he knows Johnson’s tendencies well and could share those with whoever steps in as Detroit’s next offensive coordinator.

Johnson, in return, joked that if the Bears wanted to be the best, they would have to beat the best, referencing the NFC North standings.

St. Brown revealed that his last in-person conversation with Johnson took place on Sunday, the day after the Lions’ Divisional playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. During that conversation, Johnson shared that he hadn’t yet decided on his future but was in talks with three NFL teams about head-coaching roles—one of which turned out to be Chicago.

“Obviously, I love Ben, he’s one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever had,” St. Brown said. “He’s smart and one of the hardest-working coaches I’ve been around. But, of course, I wanted him to stay in Detroit forever, but that’s not how it played out.”

Johnson held his introductory press conference with the Bears on Wednesday, and took a playful dig at a fellow NFC North rival.

“I know this is the toughest division in football,” Johnson said about the NFC North. “I kind of enjoyed beating [Green Bay’s] Matt LaFleur twice a year.”