The Richard Sherman Podcast: Chicago Bears’ CB Jaylon Johnson on Divisional Showdown, Packers Comeback & Caleb Williams

Date: January 17, 2026
Show: The Herd with Colin Cowherd Presents: The Richard Sherman Podcast
Host: Richard Sherman
Guest: Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears CB

Episode Overview

In this episode, former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman welcomes Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson after the Bears’ exhilarating playoff win. The two discuss Chicago's cardiac season, the emotional impact of a divisional playoff victory over Green Bay, the influence of coaches and mentors, defensive philosophies, the team's fashion culture, and quarterback Caleb Williams’ meteoric rise. The tone is candid, insightful, and full of the “players talking shop” energy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Cardiac Bears & Season Resilience

• [02:29] Jaylon discusses the team’s penchant for dramatic comebacks and rollercoaster games.
  • “Every time we go into the game, of course, to start fast, let's not put ourselves in those positions and somehow, some way, we end up in the damn positions anyway.”
• They acknowledge that, while it’s not ideal, the Bears have developed relentless poise and confidence in pressure situations.
  • Sherman: "It makes you feel almost invincible because...you always get yourselves out of it."
  • Jaylon: "We have the poise and the confidence to get ourselves out of it, but it's definitely not ideal for us."

2. Jaylon’s Health & Toughness

• [03:29] Jaylon reveals he’s still not 100% healthy, often playing through pain and taking “numbing shots” just to get through practices.
  • “I'm nowhere near close to my full self...I've been taking numbing shots and all these different things to just try to halfway be out there."

3. First Playoff Win Feeling

• [04:11] Jaylon savors his first playoff win:
  • “It felt natural, felt something that I'm used to doing. I mean, I've always been a winner at heart...”

4. Intensity of Bears vs. Packers in the Playoffs

• [04:54] Sherman and Jaylon talk about the added heat in facing a divisional rival for the third time in one season:
  • “Between receivers and DBs, it's always personal. But you felt that a little more...on Saturday.”
  • Second half comeback was fueled by the defense “taking it personal” and making it “spicy.”
• Locker Room at Halftime:
  • [05:31] “Talking doesn’t help you execute...it's really just calming down, slowing down, and then going out there and just attacking and playing aggressive.”
  • Sherman notes the balance between being too hyped and too calm; Jaylon agrees it's about focus and executing indicators.

5. Veteran Influence: On "kb," All-Pro DB

• [07:10] Sherman brings up the veteran leader (“kb”) who anchors the DB group.
  • Jaylon: “He's been a blessing...huge impact on our room, on myself and some of our younger guys...His IQ is off the charts and he's moving really well...he's still like that. Obviously as you can see.”
• Noted for his regimen and role-modeling professionalism.

6. Young Teammates and DB Camaraderie

• [08:30] Jaylon reflects on younger DBs finding success, and his own supporting, not overshadowing, approach upon returning from injury.
  • “I don't ever want to be where oh I'm out and I come back and it's all he hate like, nah, it's nothing but love. You love to see good cornerback play regardless of the situation.”

7. Frustrations & Realities of DB Life

• [09:42] Memorable moment:
  • Sherman, after a missed interception due to pass interference:
    “If that's a receiver getting grabbed by db, like something called PI. But you ain't gonna call the offensive PI when he clearly got the position to catch the football and he over here getting his neck grabbed.”
  • Jaylon quips: “Life of a db.”

8. Coach Al Harris’s Impact on Turnovers

• [13:09] Sherman highlights Al Harris’s reputation for creating ball-hawking secondaries.
  • Jaylon:
    • “The biggest thing is you get what you emphasize. He emphasizes it almost too much...Anytime you drop or have a missed opportunity, you gotta pay. We emphasize the ball a whole lot.”
    • "He breathes and pours confidence into yourself...it's always just get the ball on the ground, but for him, it's, you know, how can we get the ball?"

9. Preparation for Rams and Stafford

• [14:29] Sherman gets into the nuts and bolts of the next challenge: Rams’ Stafford, Puka, and Devonte.
  • Jaylon:
    • “For us, you just have to get guys uncomfortable, get them off their spots...if you let any QB, better yet, Matthew Stafford, sit back there and be comfortable, it'll be a long day.”
    • Emphasizes disrupting timing, disguising coverages, and handling one-on-ones.

10. Adjusting to Dennis Allen’s System

• [15:45] Comparison to last year’s system under Eberflus.
  • “At first it was kind of difficult, more so the terminology, some of the rules within the coverages...But again, just trying to...Everyone getting on the same page with certain things.”
  • Notes the challenges presented by “Shanahan and McVay” motion-heavy schemes.

11. On-Field Fashion & Identity

• [17:15] Sherman shouts out Jaylon’s bold fashion sense, referencing a striking playoff fit.
  • Jaylon:
    • “I always just want to make a statement with my looks. I think I never want to blend in. I never want it to be where, okay, yeah, I've seen something like that before...Just being bold and stepping out and being confident in that.”
  • No previews on next week’s fit: "Just gotta pop out and see."

12. The Mentality in High-Stakes Moments

• [18:14] On feeling the pressure when down big:
  • Jaylon:
    • “When you down 21-3, you definitely gonna feel that for sure. But every time we got back to the sideline, we not going home...That was the biggest thing just for us to just continue to fight.”

13. Postgame Sportsmanship, Rivalry & Bad Blood

• [18:59] Sherman asks about a moment with Christian Watson (Packers WR):
  • Jaylon:
    • “Just wanted to really just tell him that I'm proud of him and that God got his hands on him and just continue to do what he's been doing and progressing the right way.”
• [19:51] On coaches fueling rivalries (Ben Johnson & Matt LaFleur’s handshake controversy):
  • Jaylon:
    • “Every player, I would say, has that hidden rivalry with somebody...you don't have to show all this love to everybody that you go against...sometimes it is bad blood, and that's okay.”
• Sherman underscores the “conflict sport” reality:
  • “No question about it. You can have bad blood...This is a conflict sport. The most conflict...It don't mean it has to be sweet 100. It can be real life.”

14. First-Year Head Coach Ben Johnson’s Leadership

• [21:58] Sherman praises Ben Johnson's transformative leadership.
  • Jaylon:
    • “It's like, God just put his hand on certain people differently...he's one of those guys who was just...honestly just built for it.”
    • “He said he's going to come in and make us uncomfortable and push us and get us to win right now. And he's done all of that.”

15. Caleb Williams’ Arrival

• [22:57] On the franchise QB’s first season:
  • Jaylon:
    • “Honestly, the opposite of [the hype, the ‘diva’ talk]...He comes in. I mean, he does his work. He's passionate about what he does. He takes pride in what he does.”
    • Discusses Caleb’s humility, practice habits, and growth—“He doesn't switch up...He'll be Superman on Sunday, then be a normal guy on Monday.”
• [24:22] Sherm shouts out Caleb’s legendary fourth-and-eight throw in the comeback win:
  • Jaylon:
    • “It's almost like he always does that...he does stuff like that all the time, like in practice, so it's almost crazy to see. But he's a different talent.”

16. Caleb’s Ceiling and Team’s Support

• [25:46] On helping Caleb become "the greatest QB of all time":
  • Jaylon:
    • “For a teammate, a supporter of that, you have to help him win games. Because quarterbacks are measured by how they win games and how many games they win and winning them in the big moment.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DB Life & Missed Flags:

  • Sherman [09:42]: “If that's a receiver getting grabbed by db...you ain't gonna call the offensive PI when he clearly got the position to catch the football and he over here getting his neck grabbed.”
  • Jaylon: “Life of a DB.”

• On Bears' Unlikely Composure:

  • Jaylon [03:01]: “...when we do get in [tough spots], we have the poise and the confidence to get ourselves out of it, but it’s definitely not ideal for us.”

• On Being a Winner at Heart:

  • Jaylon [04:11]: “It felt good. It felt natural. Felt something that I'm used to doing. I mean, I've always been a winner at heart.”

• On Al Harris’s Impact:

  • Jaylon [13:36]: “The biggest thing is you get what you emphasize. He emphasizes [turnovers] almost too much to a point where we in the DB room debating on certain plays if we could have got a pick.”

• On Ben Johnson as Head Coach:

  • Jaylon [21:58]: “It's like, God just put his hand on certain people differently, and I think he’s one of those guys who was just honestly just built for it...He’s come in, there's—I wouldn't say there's anything negative about anything that he's come in and done.”

• On Caleb Williams

  • Jaylon [23:17]: “Caleb is the...honestly, the opposite of that [diva narrative]. Like, he's one of the guys...you see him learning, you see him growing like any other rookie, like any other player that takes pride in what the hell that they're doing...”

• On Caleb’s Game-Winning Throw:

  • Richard Sherman [24:22]: “That fourth and eight throw was crazy...boy, that throw. Yeah, I got a lot of respect for it. Critical moment. It found it. It didn’t even look open. Rome made a great catch. It just was an incredible play.”

Important Timestamps

• [02:27] — Bears’ “Cardiac” season and team mentality
• [03:29] — Jaylon’s health struggles and toughness
• [04:11] — First playoff win reflections
• [04:54] — Divisional rivalry heat: Bears vs. Packers
• [05:31] — Halftime mentality and inside the locker room
• [07:10] — Impact of veteran All-Pro “kb”
• [08:30] — Mentorship and DB camaraderie
• [09:42] — “Life of a DB” flag frustration
• [13:09] — Al Harris and coaching turnovers
• [14:29] — Rams-Stafford preview and defensive strategy
• [15:45] — Transitioning to Dennis Allen’s system
• [17:15] — Jaylon’s bold playoff fashion
• [18:14] — Bearing down when trailing
• [18:59] — Sportsmanship and rivalry; Christian Watson injury support
• [19:51] — Ben Johnson & divisional rivalry handshake
• [21:58] — Ben Johnson’s leadership and approach
• [22:57] — Caleb Williams’ impact as a rookie QB
• [24:22] — Legendary fourth-down throw and QB “clutch gene”
• [25:46] — Supporting Caleb’s pursuit of greatness

Summary

This episode offers a deep, firsthand player perspective on the high-stakes drama of NFL playoff football with the Chicago Bears—a mix of frank injury talk, behind-the-scenes halftime adjustments, and heartfelt praise for teammates, coaches, and mentors. Jaylon Johnson distinguishes himself as both a leader and a humble team player, while Richard Sherman’s questions pull out nuanced football details and wider culture. Bears fans and football junkies alike will find valuable insights about team psyche, defensive philosophy, NFL friendships and rivalries, and the special rookie season of Caleb Williams.

Tone: Genuine, competitive, with a balance of humor, candidness, and player-to-player respect.
For whom: Perfect for NFL fans, especially Bears followers, students of defensive football, and anyone curious about the inner workings of playoff teams and high-performance sports culture.