It is no secret that there is no love lost between Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and his Green Bay Packers rival Matt LaFleur. Ever since taking the Bears job, Johnson has expressed his disdain for the Packers and has stoked the fires of the rivalry on multiple occasions. What is more, he has backed up his talk by beating Green Bay more than he has lost to them.
As the NFL off-season progresses, one intriguing free agent name that is frequently brought up is that of Malik Willis. LaFleur and the Packers were able to make Willis into a serviceable quarterback as he backed up Green Bay starter Jordan Love. Now, he is set to make up to $30 million on his next contract with whatever team signs him.
Willis’ renaissance has furthered LaFleur’s reputation as a quarterback guru. But a recent development in Indianapolis could give Johnson the chance to steal that thunder from his rival, too.
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson could fix Anthony Richardson
Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) warms up prior to the game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
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It was recently revealed that the Indianapolis Colts have given former top-five draft pick Anthony Richardson permission to seek to a trade. In three seasons with the Colts, Richardson has a 50.6% completion percentage, 2,400 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a 67.8 passer rating.
His future, obviously, does not lie in Indianapolis and he would like a fresh start. The problem, though, is that there may not be any teams willing to give him a chance to be their starting quarterback. At least, not yet.
This is where Johnson and the Bears come in. It is also well-known that multiple NFL teams are interested in Chicago backup Tyson Bagent on the trade market. Should the Bears trade Bagent, they would need to find a backup quarterback behind Caleb Williams.
If this were to come to pass, Richardson could become a project for Johnson should the Bears be able to acquire him for the Colts. After all, Johnson did wonders for Jared Goff on the Detroit Lions and has helped Williams immensely in just one year.
And if Johnson could help Richardson improve to the point where he could be a starter in the NFL again, the Bears head coach would, once again, outshine LaFleur in that department.
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