Bears HC Ben Johnson throws subtle shot at Lions QB Jared Goff when discussing what stands out about Caleb Williams
The connection between Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his new quarterback, Caleb Williams, is going to lead to some exciting things for the team.While Johnson hasn't quite starting working with Williams yet, you can clearly tell the excitement level is there being able to work with a player of his talents.In fact, Johnson […]
The connection between Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his new quarterback, Caleb Williams, is going to lead to some exciting things for the team.
While Johnson hasn't quite starting working with Williams yet, you can clearly tell the excitement level is there being able to work with a player of his talents.
In fact, Johnson was all but gushing over the things Williams can do at the position, compared to some of the quarterbacks he's previously worked with in the NFL.
"Listen, super talented… The out of structure, the off schedule, the creation. That's what stands out the most, because that's really the way that this league's going right now," Johnson said about Williams at the 2025 Combine. "It seems like as much as you want to make it pure progression, one-to-two-to-three, there's just too much variety. The pass rush is coming down and to have an athlete like Caleb extend the play and potentially find an explosive down the field, that's what gets me going a little bit. I get excited thinking about that, because I haven't really been around that since I've been in the in the league…
"I've been on the other side, and I've experienced it. It's demoralizing when you're on the other side, and you're watching that happen to your defense."
Those kind of special plays Johnson is describing is exactly some of the things that showed a lot of promise for the future in Williams' game. And it's something not every quarterback is able to do.
By saying he hasn't ever been around a quarterback who can do those things is slightly a subtle dig at Lions' quarterback Jared Goff, Johnson's previous QB, but that's what makes this combination between Johnson and Williams even more exciting.
While Goff didn't have the ability to do those off-script, backyard-ish, plays he could play in structure very well. I mean this guy was an MVP finalist in 2024 for a reason.
Goff is exceptional at all the little things that helps keep an offense on track and flowing, areas Williams struggled a lot with during his rookie season. The good news is, those things are teachable and Williams now has the best person to teach him.
"For Caleb, it's what are the important things about playing the quarterback position at the NFL level? It's as simple as the procedure of the huddle, breaking the huddle, using cadence, motions, shifts, all those things that that can help attack a defense that we feel like can take another step here in Chicago," Johnson added. "That'll be the starting point, and we'll look to build around him as well, with the talent level and the rest of the support staff."
As for the intangibles, the killer instinct and ability to extend plays at a high level, Caleb Williams already has those things mastered. It's just comes down to working with Johnson on the other things that comes with being a high level QB in this league.
If he can accomplish that with Johnson, the sky is the ceiling for his potential in this new offense.
