Former Detroit Lions linebacker and special teams ace Jalen Reeves-Maybin has seen leadership up close and from multiple angles. After spending seven of his first eight NFL seasons in Detroit, Reeves-Maybin now finds himself with the Chicago Bears, playing under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator.

And while the Bears’ recent success under Johnson has sparked inevitable comparisons to Dan Campbell, Reeves-Maybin made it clear the two coaches are far from carbon copies.

Reeves-Maybin’s Long Road Back to the NFC North

A fourth-round pick out of Tennessee in 2017, Reeves-Maybin carved out a strong reputation in Detroit as one of the NFL’s best special teams players at his peak. After a brief stint with the Houston Texans in 2022, he returned to the Lions for two more seasons before Detroit released him last March in a cost-cutting move.

Reeves-Maybin eventually landed on the Bears’ practice squad in November, appeared in three regular-season games, and was promoted to the active roster for the postseason, where he played a role in Chicago’s NFC wild-card playoff win.

That run came during a stunning first season for Johnson as a head coach. The Bears won the NFC North and immediately looked like a franchise transformed.

Dan Campbell’s Influence Still Resonates

Despite now wearing navy and orange, Reeves-Maybin didn’t hesitate to praise the coach who helped define Detroit’s resurgence.

“Obviously Dan is an incredible leader and if you’re around him he’s going to make an impact on you and you’re probably going to take things from him,” Reeves-Maybin said via the Detroit Free Press.

Campbell’s emotional, player-first leadership style became the foundation of the Lions’ culture — and left a lasting imprint on players who passed through Allen Park.

Ben Johnson Is Doing It His Own Way

Still, Reeves-Maybin emphasized that Johnson’s Bears program isn’t simply Detroit 2.0.

“But Ben is his own person and he’s extremely smart and he definitely has his own approach,” Reeves-Maybin said. “I do not go into the meetings thinking that, ‘Oh, this is just like Dan.’ That’s not what’s happening.”

That distinction matters. While Johnson worked alongside Campbell for years, joining Detroit’s staff in 2019 and serving as offensive coordinator from 2022–24, he has quickly established a different identity in Chicago.

“It’s fun to see him create his own culture,” Reeves-Maybin added.

A Relationship Years in the Making

One of the most unique elements of Reeves-Maybin’s perspective is how long he’s known Johnson — even while playing defense.

“I’ve been with Ben since 2019 when he came to Detroit, and I was fortunate to grow a relationship with him even being on the other side of the ball,” Reeves-Maybin said. “So it’s been amazing to see him.”

That familiarity has allowed Reeves-Maybin to appreciate Johnson’s evolution from behind-the-scenes assistant to division-winning head coach.

What It Says About the Lions’ Coaching Tree

For Detroit fans, Reeves-Maybin’s comments are a reminder of just how influential the Lions’ coaching staff has become across the league. Campbell’s leadership continues to ripple outward, but Johnson’s early success shows that Detroit didn’t just build a culture, it helped develop future head coaches capable of forging their own paths.

And for Reeves-Maybin, who’s lived both worlds, the differences are clear and exciting.

The post Jalen Reeves-Maybin Explains How Ben Johnson Is Different From Dan Campbell appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.