Ben Johnson Says He's Been in 'Coach-Speak Mode' with Tom Brady Ahead of Bears-Raiders

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson says meeting with Tom Brady and the Fox Sports production team will be "business as usual" ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

"I've been careful in everything I've said since the season started," Johnson said when asked about Brady calling the game at the 6:00 mark of his Wednesday press conference. "I've been in pure coach-speak mode."

Johnson continued, "To me, it's just business as usual. I'm just fine. I like Tom, and we have a really good relationship."

The Bears coach was then asked about how he would deal with the "conflict of interest" presented by Brady, who is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, preparing both to call a game and help the Raiders game-plan for a future opponent.

"I'm really not worried about it," Johnson answered. "We change to week to week, in terms of what we do. Schematically, he's going to be able to turn on the tape and see what everyone else in the world is seeing right now. Personnel-wise, really, the same thing. It's not like I'm going to sit down with him, 'Hey, don't do this with Caleb Williams'... There's not going to be any trade secrets that are going to be exchanged.

"I really don't think it's that big of a deal, to be honest with you."

Brady was spotted wearing a headset in the Raiders' coaching booth during a Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Monday.

The NFL said in a statement provided to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that "there are no policies that prohibit an owner from sitting in the coaches' booth or wearing a headset during a game," and that Brady had been in attendance as a limited owner rather than as a broadcaster.

Brady was prohibited from attending production meetings with teams during the 2024 regular season. He previously told reporters that not being able to attend hadn't impacted him "from a research standpoint" because he got his information instead from weekly press conferences.

The NFL relaxed those rules by allowing Brady to remotely attend meetings with teams ahead of games in the 2025 season.

In the statement shared with Rapoport after Brady's attendance at the Raiders' Week 2 loss, the NFL noted: "Of course, as with any production meeting with broadcast teams, it's up to the club, coach or players to determine what they say in those sessions."

The Bears kick off against the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET in Chicago, seven days before the team heads to Las Vegas to face Brady's team at Allegiant Stadium.