LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The partnership between Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams has often been questioned at the start of training camp, if not earlier.
After the team clinched a playoff berth, both the coach and quarterback declared their relationship a huge success, even though the Bears struggled at times in the passing game.
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“Every day, we spend quality one-on-one time together so we can be very transparent with each other,” Johnson said. “I think I’ve grown to like him more and more – and I hope he responds to the same thing – and I think we’re very similar mentally.
“We have a lot of the same competitive dynamics and we think in a lot of the same way.”
Williams completed just 57.8 percent of his passes (285 of 493) for 3,400 yards and had a passer rating of 89.5, just 1.7 higher than his rookie year. However, he came on strong late in games, and the Bears (11-4) have won 11 of 13 games since a disastrous loss to Detroit in Week 2.
Williams admitted that his relationship with Johnson didn’t start out the way it did, recalling an early time when things didn’t go well. It represents how quarterbacks and coaches can solve their problems for the common good.
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“Something happened and I ended up getting (ticked) and I ended up waving him off,” Williams said.
Waving to your coach during practice may not be the smartest thing to do.
“Then he lit the fuse on the (helmet) microphone,” Williams said. “I think it was in training camp.”
Johnson’s attention to detail on offense often led to training camp brawls. This happens even in OTAs. After making a mistake, he let his anger flow freely.
Williams was often described as undisciplined coming out of college, but he and other players learned to respond to Johnson’s demands and appreciate what the new coach brought to the team.
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“He likes things the way he likes to do them and we understand that and everybody wants to go out there and win games for him and I think we’ve proven that so far,” Williams said.
Williams and the Bears will play Sunday night in San Francisco with a chance to become the NFC’s No. 1 seed a year after going 5-12.
They need to beat the 49ers and Lions and lose to Seattle to clinch the division title. To win the NFC North after finishing last in 2024, they need to win one more game or lose to Green Bay.
Williams, meanwhile, is enjoying how he’s proving doubters wrong about the Bears and his own career.
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“I’ve said it in several previous speeches, I’m not the biggest, I’m not the strongest, I’m not the tallest, the fastest, no matter what the situation,” Williams said. “I was drafted here, told I wasn’t a special player, told I didn’t fit in here, told the coach and I wouldn’t work, told I wasn’t going to win here.
“So, I know that’s going to continue, but I do get a little bit of satisfaction from something like this, being able to help this team and help this organization be a part of it, get to the playoffs.”
He believes making the playoffs is just the beginning.
“My goal is not just to make the playoffs,” Williams said. “My goal is to win, and win big.”
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