Why Bears QB Caleb Williams believes Ben Johnson is the right partner
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Williams was in the car when the Bears looped him into a conference call featuring team executives.
General manager Ryan Poles, president/CEO Kevin Warren, chairman George McCaskey and chief administrative officer Ted Crews all were on the line with their quarterback, ready to deliver some good news.
Ben Johnson would be the next Bears head coach.
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Williams, as you’d expect, was over the moon.
Johnson was the coach Williams wanted. The former Lions coordinator is a bright, creative offensive mind. He’s a proven quarterback developer. He was a former signal-caller who could speak that language. He was the guy everyone wanted and the Bears ultimately got.
Williams thanked his bosses, politely hung up the phone and then let out his emotions.
“I was driving on the highway and, I don’t know if it was safe or not, but I gave out a loud yell and scream of excitement,” Williams said Wednesday, after Johnson’s introductory press conference at Halas Hall. “It just brings a bunch of clarity. It brings a bunch of different things to the offseason. And I’m really excited about the Bears and this organization and being able to make this happen and keep Ben Johnson as our coach for a long time.”
Williams wanted to work with Johnson. Johnson wanted to work with Williams.
Chicago’s new head coach spent a considerable chunk of his introductory press conference explaining why he took the job over other available options. There was a long list, from the city of Chicago to the state of the Bears roster and so much in between.
So, how heavy did having the quarterback factor in?
Johnson flashed his thousand-watt smile and paused.
“Having a quarterback helps.”
Having a smart, super-talented individual with a strong work ethic, someone worthy of the No. 1 overall draft pick, helps even more.
There’s warranted faith that Johnson can maximize Williams’ vast potential. The desire to do so was a strong pull toward Chicago, a “large component” of why Johnson chose to take this job.
He considers Williams “a phenomenal talent” whom he plans to build a scheme around. Details of all that will be presented in another story, but the potential of this pairing is high. Consider what Johnson did with Jared Goff in Detroit. Now add Williams’ high-end talent to Johnson’s mad-scientist creativity, and you might have something special.
That was clear in Williams’ first meeting with his new coach. He was an admirer from afar, and had unsuccessfully sought him out after Bears-Lions games. This FaceTime meeting was the first exchange between the two — despite Williams previously believing a prank call was Johnson a while back — and Williams came away impressed.
“You can see the competitiveness in his eyes, the fire in his eyes,” Williams said. “It was really cool seeing that.”
That suggests an equal intensity from both sides. Johnson is a mix of creativity and fun and unwavering discipline and accountability. Williams won’t be immune from the strict parts of Johnson’s personality. He will challenge Williams in the meeting room and on the field, a welcome development after a rookie season when coaching didn’t help him much.
Johnson and Williams will spend tons of time together this offseason, molding a scheme and a strategy that works for him and for the Bears’ roster overall.
“I think part of it is going to be ways to grow for me,” Williams said. “And then I think the other half and, for me, but also mainly for the team. That’s the most important thing here. It’s me being able to grow.”