Chicago Bears Practice Features Multiple Fights, Miami Dolphins Joint Session

The Chicago Bears have embraced a markedly more physical and intense training camp under new head coach Ben Johnson, culminating in a highly aggressive two-hour full-pads practice on August 5 that featured multiple fights among teammates. These altercations involved key players such as Braxton Jones, Austin Booker, Gervon Dexter, Roschon Johnson, Jonathan Owens, and others, with scuffles ranging from helmet losses to pushing and tackling to the ground. This renewed intensity is seen as a deliberate cultural reset, shifting from previous more restrained practices to one emphasizing toughness, strength, and passion. The Bears have also incorporated joint practices, including sessions with the Miami Dolphins, to provide players more opportunities to compete and demonstrate their skills ahead of the preseason games. Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson values these joint practices as important measures of the team’s progress against strong opponents like the Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. Players and coaches alike see the increased physicality and competitive spirit in practice as positive signs for the team's development and readiness for the upcoming season.