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Ben Johnson had 6-word message for Caleb Williams before game-winning drive

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 9:27 PM ET

Chicago Bears fans had seen this film before and it never ended well. Despite an ugly game, the Bears were in a position to drive down the field and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. The Bears teams of yesteryear wilted under this kind of pressure and many expected the same to happen again on Sunday.

Caleb Williams had other plans. He marched the Bears down the field to set up the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute remaining. Williams' drive plus Josh Blackwell's blocked field goal sealed the deal as Chicago leaves Las Vegas with a miraculous Week 4 win over the Raiders.

Head coach Ben Johnson told Bears media after the game that, prior to the game-winning drive, he gave Caleb Williams a simple, six-word message to show the young quarterback the confidence he has in him.

Ben Johnson told Caleb Williams, "This is what you're built for," before leading the game-winning drive pic.twitter.com/6Odke6C8mt
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 29, 2025

As aforementioned, Bears teams of years past would not have won this game. We saw it from Williams' predecessor, and from the quarterback that came before him, too. Time and time again, when the game was on the line and the offense had a chance to score a winning touchdown, Chicago's quarterback shrank and either turned the ball over or couldn't pick up a first down.

Williams is different, and the proof is on the tape. Despite an iffy game from the second-year signal caller, Williams rose to the occasion and got the Bears the win. It looked remarkably like when he led the game-winning drive in the 2024 season finale to get a dramatic win over the Packers.

Each week it seems we see a new and fascinating facet of Williams' game under Ben Johnson's tutelage. In Weeks 1 and 2 we saw a young player learning the fine points of a complex offense. In Week 3, we saw how Williams' playmaking can take over a game. And on Sunday, Williams displayed the kind of leadership, resilience, and consistency that Bears fans have been dying to see in their quarterback for decades.

The Bears may not win many games this season, but that's okay. Drafting Williams and hiring Johnson to develop him was never about immediate success. These were moves made to bring the Bears sustained, years-long success, and they appear to be well on their way to achieving that.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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