Bears HC Ben Johnson had perfect reaction to Dillon Thieneman pick
It's safe to say Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was excited about welcoming safety Dillon Thieneman to his team.
The Chicago Bears addressed a big need in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting safety Dillon Thieneman out of Oregon with the 25th overall pick, solidifying the back end of their secondary. Thieneman will join Chicago's big free-agent addition in Coby Bryant as the team's new 1-2 punch at safety, featuring two players who will improve coverage and bring a much needed speed element to the Bears defense. Head coach Ben Johnson, known for his offensive intelligence, has been all in with the front office and coaching staff in the lead up to the team's first round selection.
General manager Ryan Poles spoke with the media after selecting Thieneman and said that Johnson didn't need to verbally say anything about the pick, his body language told the story of his excitement on their new safety. “He was fired up," Poles said. "We spent time together.
He would come in, watch tape with our group. This is one of the guys that we had on when he was in. I mean, we both -- I can now feel Ben.
He doesn't have to say anything. I can feel his body language start to get excited about somebody. You could feel it.