Why Peyton Manning Believes In Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams With Ben Johnson

“What I’m excited about, Caleb is that Ben Johnson is his new head coach, he’s also the offensive coordinator and when your head coach is calling the plays, that means it’s gonna be the same system every single year and it’s just a great chance to have continuity and growth,” Manning said.

Williams is entering his second season and is already on his third playcaller. Former Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was let go in November of last season following the Bears' third loss in a row.

With Waldron fired, Bears' pass games coordinator Thomas Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator. The next change for the Bears was when former coach Matt Eberflus was fired later that same month. While Brown took over as the interim coach, that is a lot of changes for a rookie quarterback to adjust to.

It is challenging for a rookie to develop with multiple playcallers in such a short span. Williams showed he has a high ceiling as a rookie, but there is still work to be done. Williams finished his rookie season with 3,541 passing yards and six touchdowns. 

The former USC Trojans quarterback did well with avoiding turnovers, only throwing six, but will have to improve on not holding onto the ball too long. Williams was sacked 68 times in 2024, the most in the league, and he became one of the most sacked rookie quarterbacks in NFL history.

The Bears brought in an offensive line that could be one of the top units in the league, and with Johnson as the coach, Williams can show the NFL why he was a Heisman Trophy winner with the USC Trojans.

“When you have the same system, it’s the same language every single year. Learning a new system every year is tough,” Manning continued. “And Ben Johnson, the other thing, he had a choice to go any place he wanted. He chose to go to the Bears, which arguably could be the toughest division in football. It tells you what he thinks about Caleb and about that team.”

Johnson coached one of the best offenses in the league in 2024 as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. The new Bears coach could have earned a head coaching position following the 2023 season, but chose to stay with the Lions for another year. Multiple teams in need of a head coach were interested in Johnson with his success, but he chose the Bears, knowing who his quarterback would be.

Williams will be under pressure this year after finishing the 2024 season with a 5-12 record. Williams was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft coming out of USC, and there are high expectations for him. The NFC North is a tough division, but with Johnson coaching Williams, the Bears could take a major step forward this season.

The Chicago Bears will kick off the 2025 season in an NFC North matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

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