Caleb Williams, Bears
Getty
Quarterback Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears looked to remake the franchise by selecting Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. When that did not go as planned, the franchise doubled-down on the young QB by acquiring guru Ben Johnson as the new head coach.
How well that will work remains to be seen, and probably can’t even be accurately judged on the results of the 2025 campaign alone, as Johnson needs time to install his offensive philosophies and schemes as well as round out the roster and build chemistry in the new system.
But things are going well so far by all accounts, including one Williams offered firsthand on the Sunday, August 17, edition of “SportsCenter” ahead of Chicago’s preseason contest against the Buffalo Bills.
“He’s been tough on me,” Williams said of Johnson, per Bleacher Report.
Williams added, however, that Johnson’s toughness is exactly what he wants and needs.
“He’s been hard on me, and it’s been great,” Williams continued. “Getting coached like that and being pushed, the whole team seeing me being pushed like that — he set the standard. It’s our job to level out and be at that standard.”
Caleb Williams Dealt With Pressure Problems, Body Language Issues During Rookie Campaign
Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears.
GettyQuarterback Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears.
Williams proved during his rookie campaign that he is pretty tough himself, taking a league-leading 68 sacks and never missing a game. However, there were body language issues that Johnson and his staff brought up with the QB early in his second preseason.
“The stuff they’ve been working on is really how you carry yourself as a franchise quarterback, and the command you have to have to be a franchise QB,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported via the May 30 edition of The Bill Simmons Podcast. “They watched tape of him taking sacks and how long it took for him to come off the ground. And basically the point they were trying to make to him was last year was a tough year. … But if you’re lying on the ground for an extended period of time, you’re not picking yourself up off the ground, that’s gonna resonate with the rest of the team.”
Williams’ tendency to hold onto the football was part of the sack problem, which he has openly acknowledged — another promising sign of toughness and leadership. That said, his on-field decision-making must improve if the Bears hope to take a leap this season from a disheartening five-win campaign in 2024.
Ben Johnson’s Scheme, Bears’ Roster Additions Should Help Caleb Williams Erase Poor Stats, Mistakes From Rookie Year
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
GettyHead coach Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
Williams made 19 turnover-worthy plays last year, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked 71st in the league. He also had an abysmal 28.2% pressure-to-sack rate, which meant defensive opponents got him to the ground more than one out of every four times they got close.
Translation: Williams held onto the football far too long trying to play hero ball with his legs, and far too frequently made erroneous and potentially game-losing passes in some of those situations when trying to play hero ball with his arm.
Williams also had a tendency to miss open receivers downfield more frequently than the league average suggests he should have, which speaks to potential mechanics issues.
All of that said, Johnson turned Jared Goff into an MVP candidate and helped turn the Detroit Lions into perennial Super Bowl contenders during his three seasons as offensive coordinator there. He wanted the Bears job, his first head coaching gig, precisely because of Williams’ presence on the roster.
Johnson has also added two premier rookie pass-catchers in tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10 overall pick) and slot receiver Luther Burden III (No. 39 overall pick) to afford Williams more short- and medium-yardage/high-probability targets in the pass game. The Bears overhauled a poor and often-injured offensive line this offseason, which should help Williams tremendously.
Finally, Johnson is likely to run the football more frequently than the previous regime, which means Williams’ dropback totals should fall significantly from the 682 (second in the NFL) he tallied last year.
In other words, Johnson will ask Williams to do less with more talent around him in 2025, which typically proves a positive combination for young QBs.