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The Chicago Bears made waves on Monday after officially announcing that former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will be the new head coach. Chicago acquires one of the top offensive minds in the league to pair up with prospect quarterback Caleb Williams.
Johnson is known for his unique play-calling and play designs that have turned the Detroit Lions offense into a power house. Now that he's a head coach, many are expecting to see that creative flair in Chicago with Williams under center.
The 38-year-old play caller might be a dream paring for Williams. While the Bears were conducting interviews, the rookie quarterback was asked about what qualities he'd want in a head coach from Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on the "St. Brown Podcast."
Williams admitted that he wanted an offensive minded coach to work alongside with. While fielding questions, St. Brown joked that he would call Williams "trash" as a way to entice Johnson from leaving for the Bears job. It was all in good fun though and the 23-year-old quarterback joked alongside St. Brown. Overall, it sounded like Williams was all in on Johnson becoming his new head coach well before the hire.
Caleb Williams made it pretty clear on @StBrownPodcast that he wanted Ben Johnson.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 20, 2025
Chicago made it happen. pic.twitter.com/qXdOrPOHwh https://t.co/5QdPTDoGmE
Johnson will be taking over a Bears roster that includes several star-caliber players. He'll have the pleasure of working alongside the former No. 1 pick to help develop the young quarterback after a roller coaster of a rookie campaign.
Williams finished his first year in the NFL with 3,541 passing yards, 489 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions while recording a 62.5% completion percentage. It was a solid year for a rookie despite Chicago allowing the most sacks this season with 68.
The Bears should largely benefit from Johnson's genius that's helped turned the Lions into an offensive powerhouse. Since being named the offensive coordinator in 2022, Detroit's offense has finished Top 3 in the league each year.
Johnson also has 15 years of coaching experience under his belt. This will be the first time in his career where he'll be the head coach. But his experience coaching tight ends, wide receivers, quarterbacks, and calling plays is something the Bears wanted to bring into the organization to help develop their young quarterback.
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Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Makes Direct Statement About Mason Rudolph's Spot On QB Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quite an interesting quarterback room for the 2025 season. Of course, all the focus is truly on Aaron Rodgers and what he can bring to the team at this stage in his career. Behind him, the Steelers have Mason Rudolph serving as the primary backup. Skylar Thompson and Will Howard are competing for the third spot on the depth chart, but unfortunately for Howard, an injury has slowed his progress. Thompson took advantage of the opportunity, performing well in the first preseason game and possibly reclaiming the QB3 role. Before his injury, Howard had previously moved ahead of Thompson in the competition. Former teammate of Rudolph, Ben Roethlisberger, recently shared his honest thoughts about the veteran quarterback’s performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Roethlisberger, who spent years with Rudolph during his time in Pittsburgh, had a unique perspective on how his former understudy handled the game. While Roethlisberger acknowledged there were some areas where Rudolph could improve, he also praised his composure, decision-making, and ability to move the offense when needed. Roethlisberger discussed Rudolph’s performance on his Footbahlin podcast, noting that the veteran looked confident and in control despite limited opportunities. "You know I thought Mason [Rudolph] played really well," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "I thought he did exactly what you would hope to see from your backup quarterback. He went out there I think, he solidified himself… as the two." He pointed out that Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steelers’ system allows him to step in without disrupting the flow of the offense. With Rodgers leading the way, Rudolph providing a steady backup presence, and the QB3 competition between Thompson and Howard continuing, the Steelers’ quarterback depth will be a storyline worth following as the 2025 season approaches. "Let’s see how he does this week and the next week," Roethlisberger said. "I thought he played really well. I thought he was efficient with the ball. He threw the ball down the field. As a team, you like seeing that because that gives you confidence going into the season that if something were to happen one game for Aaron… you have a guy that you feel confident who could go in there. Same thing when we had Charlie Batch, you had Bruce Gradkowski, you had Byron Leftwich, you had Dennis Dixon and Josh Dobbs. Any of those guys. You just feel confident he can go in and just get it done for you." Roethlisberger had high praise for Rudolph, and hearing him mention him alongside names like Charlie Batch shows he has faith in Rudolph’s ability to be a reliable backup in Pittsburgh. There is a strong argument that Rudolph is one of the most dependable backup quarterbacks in the NFL, which is a significant asset for the Steelers in the 2025 season. Steelers' Mason Rudolph Has Great Preseason Game Versus Jaguars Rudolph only attempted 10 passes on Saturday night against the Jaguars, but completed 90 percent of them. He threw for 84 yards and one touchdown. While preseason football can be difficult to evaluate, he performed well in roughly a quarter and some change of action. His efficiency and composure reinforced the notion that the Steelers have one of the league’s most steady and trustworthy backup quarterbacks heading into the regular season. Roethlisberger is confident Rudolph has now locked up his spot as QB2 for the 2025 season. Steelers fans are now super eager to get updates on when Howard will be back from his injury. Howard and Thompson will fight for the QB3 spot. What grade would you give Rudolph for his preseason outing against the Jaguars?
Bryson DeChambeau divulges Scottie Scheffler's biggest advantage
We all know Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer on the planet by a fairly large margin, but what makes him so much more consistent than other stars in professional golf? Bryson DeChambeau, one of Scheffler's biggest rivals in major championships, thinks he knows the answer. In Tuesday's appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," DeChambeau detailed how Scheffler dominates the PGA Tour weekly. "He's got the best spin and distance control I've ever seen," DeChambeau said. "He controls the golf ball from a spin perspective so much better than everybody else. Like, if you're 175 yards out, and it's 10 miles [an hour] into the wind, he knows how to control the flight and spin to get that ball to land right next to the hole every time. Probably since Tiger [Woods], he's the best that we've seen." The stats confirm DeChambeau's breakdown. Scheffler has ranked first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained on approach in three straight seasons. He also ranks first in proximity to the hole and greens in regulation percentage over the last four years. Iron play is Scheffler's superpower, but it wasn't always that way. "I played with him in college a bunch, and I've said it before, but he's definitely improved since college for sure," DeChambeau said with a chuckle. "It's impressive to see what he's done, and we're all aspiring to do that. That's something I've gotta get better at. I can hit it farther than him. I can hit it probably straighter than him. I can make just as many putts as him, but, really, it's about my iron play right now and wedges to get a little more consistent." Iron play is the biggest indicator of success in professional golf. If you're giving yourself more birdie chances from close range than anyone in the field, you're going to have the best chance to win by Sunday afternoon. No one is better at hitting specific distances more consistently than Scheffler. Just look at how accurate he is. DeChambeau has the best chance to catch Scheffler as the best player in the world because he's elite off the tee and on the greens, but that won't happen unless he makes a major improvement to his iron game.
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Thinks It Is Clear Preseason Hero Will Be Playing Elsewhere In 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers played their first preseason game of 2025 on Saturday, and the organization was able to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 31-25. The offense looked surprisingly good in the game, although it was mostly backups playing in the contest outside of the offensive line. The passing game was efficient, and both Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson looked good in the game. Logan Woodside came in at the end, but he didn't attempt a pass. The offensive player of the night was certainly Thompson, who was the fourth quarterback on the depth chart before Will Howard got hurt. Thompson is certainly on the outside looking in when it comes to the final roster, but his impressive performance during the first week of the preseason likely caught the eyes of some other teams around the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger spoke about the game on the most recent episode of Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, and he shared that he thinks the quarterback could end up elsewhere. "I don't think the Steelers are going to keep four quarterbacks," Roethlisberger said. "Let's be honest. I think he is playing himself into like a really legit chance for a backup job somewhere on a team. Which is what you want." Thompson is going to need to continue to stack good performances in the preseason, and if he does, the Steelers may have the chance to trade him before cutting down to the final roster at the end of August. It is known that the top two quarterbacks on the roster are Aaron Rodgers and Rudolph, with Howard being right behind them. Thompson will likely end up elsewhere, it just depends on how that comes about. Other teams across the league probably know that the Steelers do not have the intention to keep Thompson around for the regular season, and that could make navigating a potential trade difficult. However, if there are multiple teams that are going to be interested in Thompson's services, one might be willing to trade a Day 3 draft pick in order to get him. The Steelers would not get much in any deal surrounding Thompson, but an additional sixth or seventh round pick for the 2026 NFL Draft would not hurt. No organization would trade for Thompson based off just one good preseason performance, especially with how the rest of the quarterback's career has gone when he was with the Miami Dolphins. He has struggled when he has been asked to start in games, but maybe he has turned over a new leaf that might make him valuable as the top backup for another organization. Another strong performance or two should definitely put him on the radar of quarterback-needy teams. Steelers' Skylar Thompson Could Have A Few Potential Destinations When looking around the league and trying to figure out what teams might be interested in bringing in Thompson, it is hard to ignore a team like the New Orleans Saints. The entire quarterback room in New Orleans has limited experience with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener barely ever seeing the field. Rookie Tyler Shough is an interesting prospect, but there is no telling how he will play. The Saints may want to consider Thompson, at the very least to bring in someone who has legitimate playing experience. Another team to consider would be Thompson's former team, the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa has struggled with injuries, and neither Zach Wilson or Quinn Ewers looked great in the team's first preseason game. A reunion could be in play as Thompson has a handle on the offensive system and has a decent amount of game experience playing in Miami. Another option is the New York Jets, as Tyrod Taylor is going through an injury and the rest of the room has a lot of question marks.
Agent David Mulugheta Closes in on $2 Billion Milestone as Micah Parsons’ Contract Standoff Intensifies
Jerry Jones is very unique in the way he does business. The longtime Dallas Cowboys owner dragged out contract negotiations for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb for no particular reason. This offseason, he’s doing the same with Micah Parsons. Until Jones gets things settled, Persons — a two-time All-Pro — likely won’t be taking the field. David Mulugheta, Parsons’ agent, loves that his client is fighting for every cent he can obtain from Jones. He’ll have Parsons’ back to the bitter end. It’s what makes him one of the sports industry’s most effective agents. According to Forbes, Mulugheta has $58 million in maximum commissions. That’s the seventh-highest figure among North American agents, and the most for any football agent. Only Joel Segal (No. 14: $51 million) and Drew Rosenhaus (No. 17: $45 million) joined him on Forbes’ top 20 list. Mulugheta’s commissions obviously don’t include what he’ll eventually add from Parsons’ deal. Assuming Parsons’ pact is the next one Mulugheta completes, it will push him past $2 billion in player contracts. At this moment, he has an estimated $1.93 billion in player contracts to his name, courtesy of Jordan Love and Jalen Ramsey, among others. Meanwhile, Parsons did now show up to Dallas’ final practice before their Week 1 preseason game last Thursday. His presence today excited fans, but it came merely in a supportive capacity. He remained on the sidelines with his jersey draped on his shoulders all day. Mulugheta and Parsons seem to be doing everything they can to hammer out a deal. Jones apparently doesn’t want to play ball because he believed he and Parsons agreed to a contract at a dinner earlier this offseason. Mulugheta wasn’t present for the meal, though, so Parsons (rightfully) assumed it wasn’t an official negotiation. This led him to request a trade on the first day of August. As mentioned, Jones has a habit of making things more complicated than they need to be. The end result of this whole shenanigan will probably be Parsons signing a massive extension that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB the week of the Cowboys’ Week 1 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. If that’s the case, Jones will have once again dominated TV conversation without real consequence. However, if this tactic is ever going to bite Jones in the butt, it will be with Parsons. The 26-year-old edge rusher, like Jones, doesn’t operate conventionally. Whether he and Mulugheta elect to continue their relationship with Jones will be one of season’s biggest stories if he doesn’t end up signing before games begin.
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