
Quarterback Caleb Williams helped lead the Chicago Bears to an NFC North title and a spot in the Divisional Round in 2025. But both he and head coach Ben Johnson knew there was still room for him to grow into his No. 1 pick form.
Williams locked in under new leadership. He took Johnson’s messages and teachings to heart. Furthermore, he put in the work to improve all facets of his game. That includes his mentality and preparation on top of his playmaking skills on the gridiron.
Johnson has come away impressed with the quarterback Williams has become. They are still working diligently to move even closer to the QB’s ever-rising ceiling. The head coach sees a player willing to do whatever it takes to get to the top.
Williams’ work in Week 1 showed that preparation has paid off. Johnson now wants to see him staying consistent and continually ascending.
Against the Carolina Panthers, Williams completed 21-of-29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He added another 62 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Johnson wasn’t surprised to see Williams have that type of performance with how focused he has been. The key is now keeping that quarterback at that level, via the had coach’s Wednesday press conference.
“Yeah I think for the last year and a half he continues to play with more anticipation,” Johnson said. “He understands what we’re trying to get done. Obviously our visits over the course of the week once we get into a game week like this, they’re very good conversations that we have. He asks the right questions as far as I’m concerned. And then I mentioned the day before the game last week, he was regurgitating everything that we had talked about over the course of the week.”
“So you could tell that he was in a really good spot and it gives you a chance on game day” he continued. “You never know how it’s going to end up necessarily, but I think he played with a lot of confidence and when you do that, you’re seeing the field really well. He’s always done that, but the game slows down to a degree and he’s able to get to the right guy a little bit faster than maybe he has in the past. And so hopefully that growth continues.”
Williams will now have the difficult test of facing off against the forever blitzing Vikings defense. He will need to study plenty of tape and be fully prepare for Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ onslaught.
Johnson has seen him put in the work and is confident his quarterback will keep growing. A win in Week 2 would show the plan is still moving successfully.
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