Caleb Williams had one of the best seasons a Chicago Bears quarterback has ever had in 2025. He threw for a franchise record 3,941 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. Adding to that were seven 4th quarter comebacks, a division title, and a playoff victory over the hated Green Bay Packers. It was a magical run that confirmed to everybody that this kid was well worth the #1 overall pick two years ago. However, one person wasn’t satisfied. That was head coach Ben Johnson.
Williams admitted during his press conference on Monday that the Bears coach pulled his quarterback aside after the season ended in the divisional round. He didn’t mince words.
“I know that’s one of the first things we talked about when we first met, I guess two days after the game was, ‘it’s going to be more difficult. I’m going to push you more.”
“And my answer is: ‘yes, sir, let’s do it.’”
Though Johnson has been effusive in his praise of the progress Williams has made over the past year, one fact remains impossible to argue. Last year wasn’t good enough. The quarterback threw five interceptions in two games and wasn’t nearly as efficient as he needed to be to advance in the playoffs. Johnson will not praise anything less than a level of play that wins a Super Bowl.
Ben Johnson knows he can’t baby Williams.
This isn’t because he likes being a hardass or anything like that. He knows that winning a championship is incredibly difficult in this league. Only quarterbacks with the mental toughness and efficiency win them. Reaching that level of greatness is done through hard coaching. It was true of Chuck Noll with Terry Bradshaw, Bill Walsh with Joe Montana, Jimmy Johnson with Troy Aikman, and Bill Belichick with Tom Brady. His job isn’t to be Williams’ buddy. It is to say the things the young quarterback needs to hear.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
It appears Williams has been plenty receptive to the messaging. He’s not naive. His goal has always been to win Super Bowls. Plural. That won’t happen unless he gets better. Last season was a step in the right direction. Now he is eager to get back to work. This will be his second year in the same offense, which is a major step in the right direction. If the Bears can continue building out the talent around him, what was accomplished last season will only be a taste of things to come.
Johnson understands the cruel reality of the NFL.
You can never let up on your players. Ever. The second you do so, complacency slips in. Once that happens, your hopes of winning a championship go out the window. The trick is finding a way to keep players in the right mental headspace of believing there is always something they can improve. Mike Ditka and Lovie Smith accomplished that, albeit for a short time. Ben Johnson comes across as the type of single-minded coach who understands the fundamental law of football.
There is no off switch.
The best teams are made up of people who eat, sleep, drink, and breathe football. That is why Johnson and Poles constantly talk about seeking players with a deep passion for the game. Williams, for all the talk about his hobbies and outside interests, has always demonstrated a keen love for the sport. Nobody questions his work ethic. He didn’t even blink when Johnson issued that challenge three months ago. That is why this partnership has a chance to work.
