ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell certainly doesn't dislike Ben Johnson.
But when Johnson, his former offensive coordinator, returns to Ford Field on the opposing sideline Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) as head coach of the Chicago Bears for the first time, he's prepared for war on the field.
"Ben's my friend. He's always gonna be my friend. Nothing about that's gonna change," Campbell said this week. "We're going in getting ready to play Chicago. We're gonna win this game. We have to.
"We've got to find a way to clean things up and do what we have to do, and they're gonna try to do the same thing."
Johnson was Detroit's offensive coordinator from 2022-24, where he was a part of the Lions' record-setting 15-win season last year which featured one of the most exciting rosters in the league.
In Johnson's three seasons, his creativity and unique playcalling helped Detroit lead the NFL in points per game (29.0) over that span. That included a league-high 33.2 points per game last season, which was the first time that the Lions led the NFL in points per game since 1954, per ESPN Research.
Under Johnson, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown put together back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons, but he doesn't want to see his former coach receive a warm reception in his return.
"Week 2 is going to be so crazy. I promise you. It is going to be so electric," he said on a recent episode of his St. Brown Podcast. "But as soon as Ben walks in there, we're booing him. I don't give a f---. We all booing him."
Both Chicago (0-1) and Detroit (0-1) are looking for their first victories of the 2025 season.
The Lions are looking to bounce back from a 27-13 loss at Green Bay in which the offense failed to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The Bears dropped a 27-24 contest against the Vikings on Monday Night Football after holding a halftime edge.
"I'm sure he'll have some trickery mixed in there or some different plays in that first 15, but I'm hoping I'll get the rhythm of the offense once we get into it," Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson said of Johnson's playcalling style.
Given their history of coaching together, Campbell doesn't see anyone as having a tactical advantage in the game.
"I think we're on even playing ground really. It's the same thing. He knows what we're about. We know what he's about," Campbell said. "And because of that, you're gonna play that game a little bit, but the game doesn't matter if you don't master the basics inside the game.
"So, that's what we've got to get back to. We've got to worry about ourselves right now and just hone in on the little things."