Bears HC Ben Johnson sends strong message after Malik Muhammad’s ‘errors’

Malik Muhammad has been impressive through his first three NFL games. The Chicago Bears rookie has shown that he belongs in the league and that he’ll play a vital role for the team as the season progresses. Head coach Ben Johnson sent a strong message about the cornerback’s “errors” that need to be corrected.

Muhammad has 11 combined tackles so far. It consists of five assisted and six solo efforts, along with 1.0 sacks, one tackle for loss and one interception. The team’s secondary is dealing with injuries to some of its key players, particularly safety Coby Bryant who will be out for four to six months after undergoing knee injury.

The good news for Chicago is Muhammad is living up to the preseason hype, as well as Dillon Thieneman. They made franchise history on Monday as the first rookies to record an interception each in the first three games.

Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears — Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson speaks during Minicamp at Halas Hall.

Chicago Bears: Ben Johnson speaks highly of Malik Muhammad’s game

Johnson addressed the media on Wednesday and praised Muhammad’s game. He also talked about the 22-year-old’s communication errors through Week 3.

“He’s a sticky player,” Johnson said. “He continues to get better every single game, every single practice. We had a couple communication errors last week that we got to clean up, but he’s going to learn from that and he’s going to continue to get better. I think we’re really pleased through three games where he’s at, being able to contribute to our defense and our team in general. He’s a competitor and we really like where he’s at right now. He’s on an upward trajectory.”

Ben Johnson on Malik Muhammad’s Game:

“He’s a sticky player. He continues to get better every single game, every single practice. We had a couple communication errors last week that we got to clean up, but he’s going to learn from that and he’s going to continue to get better. I… pic.twitter.com/tWZoU8p5N9

— Bears on Real (@BearsOnReal) September 30, 2026

The Bears are coming off a 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football.” Case Keenum took over Caleb Williams under center, starting his first game since 2023. The entire team stepped up and shined on national TV, including Muhammad, who once again had a solid game. Chicago will return to action on Sunday to take on the New York Jets at Soldier Field.