Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson drew major attention (and not all of it positive) during Sunday night’s NFL action after a halftime interview left fans questioning his approach.
The Bears were trailing 14-9 against the Las Vegas Raiders when Johnson stopped to speak to CBS reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala just as the third quarter was about to start.
The exchange was brief but memorable.
Ben Johnson has been criticized for his handling of the question
When Kinkhabwala noted that Johnson’s offense had struggled, he interrupted with a cutting remark: “They haven’t done anything, you’re right.”
Her follow-up question about adjustments prompted Johnson to reply: “That wasn’t our brand of football… we’re hitting the reset button here at half-time and we’re going to come back and establish our identity in the second half.”
It wasn’t the words themselves that drew the most attention, though.
Johnson held a cold, lingering stare toward Kinkhabwala after finishing his answer, prompting fans to voice their disapproval online.
Fans react to Johnson’s ‘menacing stare’
The coach’s behavior quickly became a talking point on social media. “
Absolutely immature by him. Aditi deserves better,” one fan wrote on X, while another tagged Kinkhabwala and commented: “He was completely out of line for that.”
Joe Schad, Miami Dolphins reporter for the Palm Beach Post, added on X: “I don’t like this one bit from Ben Johnson with the reporter Aditi.”
Even the CBS broadcast team picked up on it, describing the stare as “menacing” and “intimidating.”
Yet for all the controversy, Johnson’s halftime message to the team seemed to do the trick.
The Bears fought back in the second half to secure a 25-24 victory over the Raiders, with Josh Blackwell blocking a 54-yard field goal attempt by Daniel Carlson in the final minute.
The win marked a milestone for the Chicago organization.
The Bears became only the second NFL team to reach 800 regular-season victories, joining the Green Bay Packers, who had 812 prior to Sunday night, according to the Daily Mail.
Johnson’s controversial style vs. team performance
Despite criticism over his media interaction, NFL analyst Chase Daniel was unbothered by the incident.
Sharing the clip after the win, he wrote: “And this is the moment where the Bears turned it around! Huge road win… Ben Johnson is changing the culture there.”
Johnson, who took over as Bears head coach during the offseason, now has a 2-2 record following the Week 4 showdown.
The team will have a bye week next, returning to action on October 13 against the Washington Commanders for Monday Night Football. That game airs on ESPN, so there won’t be a repeat encounter with Kinkhabwala anytime soon.
Fans, however, aren’t likely to forget the stare anytime soon.
Clips of the moment have already gone viral on platforms like X and TikTok, prompting debates over whether Johnson’s aggressive media demeanor is a sign of leadership or unnecessary intimidation.
Meanwhile, the Bears’ comeback and Johnson’s intense halftime messaging will be remembered as a defining moment of the game – a win that cemented both a team milestone and a controversial coaching style in one fell swoop.