Years and years ago, in football's infancy, every player played both ways. The pace of the game was slower, and teams ran fewer plays, so 11 men were left to make sense of the era's extreme violence.
On Thursday, the Chicago Bears ever so briefly and with considerably less violence returned to their single-platoon roots.
Throwing an apparent just-for-kicks wrinkle into the Bears' 11-on-11 practice, coach Ben Johnson switched his offense and defense on the final rep of a session. Only quarterback Caleb Williams, clad in a red non-contact jersey, retained his normal position.
Williams dropped back and threw a quick out-route to cornerback Nick McCloud—also a wide receiver in high school in Rock HIll, S.C., once upon a time. Beating wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus—also a high school defensive back in Philadelphia's Society Hill neighborhood—McCloud picked up a first down.
Watch a video taken by Chicago's Sleeper affiliate here, which includes the defense celebrating its offensive success.
Ben Johnson put the offensive guys on defense and the defensive guys on offense for the last rep of 11s
— SleeperBears (@SleeperBears) August 7, 2025
McCloud beat Olamide Zaccheaus on an out route for the 1st-down 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/11dXzKGqbj
The Bears are scheduled to open preseason play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins—in 2025, not 1948.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ben Johnson Flips Bears' Offense, Defense for Fun Practice Wrinkle.
