The pairing of Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and first-year head coach Ben Johnson could be one that not only changes the future of the franchise, but the trajectory of Williams’ career.
Chicago selected Williams, a former Heisman trophy winner, with the No. 1 overall pick in hopes that he’ll turn the franchise around and, for his own career, Williams wants to put himself among the elite at his position.
In his rookie season, Williams threw for 3,541 yards, 21 touchdowns, and six interceptions, but the Bears as a team finished 5-12, as the quarterback worked with two separate head coaches, and three different offensive coordinators. With Johnson now in place, both the quarterback and coach would like to see him get to the level he desires, and that’s going to include tough coaching along the way.
Making an appearance on the “Mully & Haugh Show,” Johnson discussed his vision for Williams and why he’s going to coach him hard to get him there.
“The standard has been set, the bar has been set high,” Johnson said. “He has said he wants to not just be one of the best Top-5 quarterbacks in this league but he wants to have a legacy that lasts for a long time. So, we’re coaching him that way. We’re approaching that way, that’s not going to change.
“Is he going to be a finished product here in Year 2? No. He’s going to continue to get better year in and year out, it’s a process. We’re very clear on that, there is a little bit of grace here as we go through it, we know he’s learning, he’s going to take his bumps. As long as we’re not making the same mistake twice we’re going to be right on track and we’ll be just fine.”
Johnson has set a simple standard for Williams — show up with a great attitude, stay positive around his teammates and be willing to learn and be coachable. Not just for success this year but to create the legacy that Williams ultimately wants. There’s many layers to getting there, and not all of it boils down to just his production numbers.
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