Ben Johnson — Excited to change QB narrative with Bears

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — New Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson said he looks at the franchise’s troubling track record of developing quarterbacks as an opportunity.

Excerpts from ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham’s book “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback” highlighted the struggles Caleb Williams experienced throughout his rookie season with the Bears and the trepidation that both the No. 1 pick and his father, Carl, shared about the organization.

Wickersham’s reporting revealed that Caleb Williams hoped to be drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and that Carl Williams did not want his son to be selected by the Bears because Chicago was where “quarterbacks go to die.”

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Johnson smiled Wednesday when asked about that statement.

“I love it,” he said. “I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative. That’s where great stories are written. So, we’re looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.”

Johnson said he spoke with Williams last week after the excerpt came out and seemed eager to move past the issues from the quarterback’s rookie season.

“He’s his own man,” Johnson said. “He’s gonna be treated as such. I think we’re both really looking forward to turning the page on years prior and focusing on the here and now.”

Wickersham’s book also detailed the disconnect between Williams and former Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who was fired in early November. Williams reportedly watched film alone during his rookie season without the guidance from coaches. At several points last year, Williams publicly implored his coaches to hold him accountable while demanding harder coaching.

Williams was not made available by the team Wednesday and has not spoken publicly since the book excerpt came out.

Johnson spent last season as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator, then was hired by Chicago in January after it went 5-12 in 2024. The coach classified his first four months of working together with Williams as “outstanding” and noted that the more time they spend together, the better Johnson said he feels.

“It starts with developing a rapport and a trust, and that’s earned over time,” Johnson said. “You don’t walk in Day 1 and expect that to be achieved, so the more time we spend together, he understands I have his best interests at heart and vice vera. He’s gonna go out there and play as well as he possibly can not just for himself or for me but for the whole team and the city. I mean, that’s really what it comes down to. So, we’re very much aligned in terms of what we want to get done and it just takes more time on task in terms of getting on the same page with how we’re going to do it.”