Bears RB D’Andre Swift rejuvenated under Ben Johnson, Eric Bieniemy

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy had flashbacks when he first started seeing D’Andre Swift work.

His mind went directly to 2020 NFL draft prep, when he was Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator and studying prospects going pro. He devoured tape of the young prospect and enjoyed it, even though Kansas City went in a different direction, taking LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire at No. 32 overall in the first round.

Detroit took Swift off the board three picks later, where he was productive in a tandem or dealing with injury. Swift had a solid year in Philadelphia before signing a free-agent contract with Chicago. Last season was a mess, replete with a 10-game losing streak and coaches fired in-season.

Bieniemy started working with Swift a few months after that, and he saw the same athlete live, five full years later, that he remembered on tape.

“Swift, to me, looked like the person I saw coming out of Georgia,” Bieniemy said. “He has been challenged, but I remember a kid who ran hard, did a great job of picking up blitzes and did a great job receiving out of the backfield. That’s the person that I know.”

The talent that dominated SEC competition at Georgia has produced uneven results in the pros, either due to injury or opportunity or a 2024 Bears team that was just awful.

Swift has put it all together this season under Bieniemy, head coach/offensive mastermind Ben Johnson and an excellent offensive line, setting career marks in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing success rate and total offense in fewer touches than his two other seasons as feature back.  

Swift has been as efficient as ever, with 1,386 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry during the regular season and 5.5 yards per carry on outside runs, the seventh-highest number in the league.

EPA (expected points added) is one number that shows how far he has come, In 2024, he had a minus-49.9 rushing EPA, the second worst number in the NFL. He’s at plus-10.7 this season, the third highest in the NFL.

He’s a vital cog in a Bears team that ranked No. 3 overall in rushing and is making a push into the NFL playoffs, with an NFC divisional round matchup with the Los Angeles Rams set for Sunday night at Soldier Field.

After a year where he was down on his performance despite less that ideal circumstances, Swift has rebounded in a huge way and is having a blast.

“Hell yeah, I am,” Swift told Marquee Sports Network on Thursday. “It’s fun winning and it’s fun being able to contribute to that as well. It’s about being where I’m supposed to be, making plays for my teammates. This whole experience has been great.”

Life and circumstance can harden an individual, change who they are. Swift hasn’t let that happen.

“I’m still the same kid,” Swift. “I love the game and I can still do anything and everything that I’m asked to do. My knowledge of the game continues to grow.”

Bieniemy has helped with that. As a former offensive coordinator, he has provided a wholistic view of the offense and a running back’s place in it. That helped Swift understand why he’s doing things, which provides greater perspective.

Bieniemy can be tough and super demanding, but Swift sees the method to his aggressive nature and the dividends paid from it.

“I challenged him,” Bieniemy said. “I think he has done one heck of a job. He has probably gotten tired of hearing my voice, but he has done a great job here because of his work ethic. He’s always a professional. He has always been a humble, hard-working kid. It’s not that I did anything special. Sometimes you try to get guys to change how they approach or how they see the game and how they see themselves. I think he has done a great job of making some of those adjustments. We have to continue getting the very best out of him from here on out.”

Johnson believes this is Swift at his best, and he has a comparative sample size. He was in Detroit when the Lions drafted Swift. He was Swift’s offensive coordinator when the rusher averaged 5.5 yards per carry despite nagging injuries.

Swift, it seems, has leveled up.

“This is the player I’ve always thought he could be and really has been in spurts over the course of his career,” Johnson said on Dec. 26. “He’s just being very consistent. He’s very deliberate with what he’s doing.

“…Swifty has always had this ability. I’ve seen it, I saw it firsthand when he was a rookie all the way until now. So none of it surprises me, not one iota. I think he’s doing a great job lowering his pads, playing physical, he’s continuing to make guys miss at the second and third level. And we’re getting big plays.”

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