LAKE FOREST, Sick. — Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson has performed towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers eight occasions.
Eight separate weeks over his first 5 seasons, he answered questions concerning the rivalry. Seven of these eight video games led to a loss, and none entered with any type of storyline aside from it being the oldest rivalry in soccer, and Johnson was a pure spokesperson.
Lastly, Johnson can speak about a gathering between the NFC North foes that has playoff ramifications.
“I feel for us going into this sport,” he mentioned Tuesday, “now we have extra perception than what we’ve had earlier than as a result of we’ve put within the work and we’ve seen the outcomes come from it and also you achieve confidence from that.”
This wasn’t a sport that anybody projected could be between a pair of groups vying for the division; it additionally wasn’t a sport Johnson anticipated to get to play in after present process surgical procedure in late September.
Johnson mentioned a rehab that was psychological and non secular in addition to bodily. He mentioned that whereas he dominated himself out for the season, as many appeared to after the groin damage he suffered in Detroit in Week 2, “God had completely different plans.”
Throughout his time away post-surgery, he went on a 10-day quick, consuming solely fruit (berries, mango, pineapple and apple) and water. He mentioned he misplaced over 20 kilos.
“Actually simply stripped myself in that second,” Johnson mentioned. “I used to be already weak bodily, however I’d say, simply additionally stripping myself spiritually and mentally and pushing myself to get nearer to God and be uncomfortable, as a result of all through this complete course of, that’s what I’ve been. I feel for me, that gave me much more power, that gave me much more peace with the place I’m at in life.”
Whereas sidelined, Johnson selected to look at from residence moderately than be on the sideline.
“I’ve been enjoying this sport since I used to be 7 years previous, so for me to have the sport taken from me by means of damage was one thing I wished to type of shield myself mentally,” he mentioned. “It was greatest for me to be residence, but it surely was positively good to see the fellows succeeding on the display.”
When coach Ben Johnson opened Jaylon Johnson’s apply window earlier than the sport towards the Steelers, it was gorgeous. Per week later, Jaylon Johnson returned for the franchise’s largest win since he arrived in 2020, two teaching staffs in the past.
Johnson performed in 33 of the 54 snaps within the win over the Eagles. He had one sort out and dove to change an incomplete, third-down go.
Uno gettin’ lively pic.twitter.com/oBMFVn5zY4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 28, 2025
He mentioned he felt slightly sore after the sport and can see how his physique responds so far as any type of pitch depend on Sunday afternoon in Inexperienced Bay.
A method the Bears’ coaches rotated cornerbacks and stored Johnson’s snaps in examine was by rotating Kyler Gordon, additionally getting back from damage, to the surface nook spot. Nick McCloud additionally performed 10 snaps.
However when the Eagles had a 3rd down on a collection with Johnson on the sideline, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen took benefit of his new abundance of canopy males. He’d put Johnson again on the sphere reverse Nahshon Wright, the league’s takeaways chief, then insert each Gordon and midseason addition C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
“That’s a powerful 4 for anyone to go towards,” Johnson mentioned. “We’re simply looking for the most effective matchups for ourselves that favor us and provides ourselves the most effective probability to win, and we all know we’ve received to win on scenario downs.”
Take into consideration all of the defensive backs Johnson has performed with, all of the coordinators he’s performed for and all of the occasions he’s entered a Packers sport through which the one factor on the road was satisfaction.
Now he rejoins a staff that’s at present the most effective within the NFC, with two defensive backs who’ve mixed for 11 interceptions. His substitute, Wright, has had a breakout season.
“I really feel like the way in which he’s turned the ball over, the way in which he has had the ball on his thoughts, has been actually spectacular,” Johnson mentioned. “Once more, you get what you emphasize. I do know us as a bunch, now we have been emphasizing and he’s been capitalizing on all of it season.”
When Johnson missed all of coaching camp and the preseason with a separate groin damage, he returned to apply at the beginning of the season and performed in Detroit. On the time, Ben Johnson described the impression of getting an All-Professional nook on the sphere.
“He comes out, he’s received a swagger to him,” he mentioned. “Confidence, he’s not afraid to speak slightly bit. That’s what I really feel instantly is simply the presence on the market. While you watch the tape (Monday), he’s very sticky. We wish to eradicate the area in our coverages, and so I feel he’s going to be a very good match for us this week.”
They’ll want that Sunday towards Packers quarterback Jordan Love, in one other step towards one thing Johnson has by no means skilled in his time within the NFL: a playoff look.
“It places objective to your work,” he mentioned. “I feel plenty of occasions, it’s simple to say be process-driven when issues aren’t going effectively. It makes the method much more, I’d say, price it while you’re profitable and also you even have true objectives that you’re combating for.
“It’s not only for the title on the again and your resume, however you’re truly combating for the primary objective, and that’s to win the Tremendous Bowl. So I feel for us, we’re taking it daily. We aren’t fascinated with the Tremendous Bowl or playoffs, we’re simply fascinated with one week at a time.”
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