LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) 鈥� The partnership between Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams was questioned frequently at the start of training camp, if not earlier.
Coach and quarterback alike are now heralding their relationship as a tremendous success after the team , even though the Bears have struggled at times in the passing game.
鈥淓very single day, we鈥檙e spending one-on-one time, quality time together, to where we can be very transparent with each other,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淎nd I think what I鈥檝e grown to love about him 鈥� and I hope he would echo the same thing 鈥� I think we鈥檙e mentally very similar.
鈥淲e share a lot of the same competitive drive and we think very much the same way in a lot of regards.鈥�
Williams has completed only 57.8% of his passes (285 of 493) for 3,400 yards with a passer rating of 89.5, just 1.7 higher than his rookie year. Yet he’s made huge plays late in games, and the Bears (11-4) have won 11 of 13 since their blowout loss at Detroit in Week 2.
Williams acknowledged his relationship with Johnson didn’t start the way it turned out, and recalled a point early on when things didn鈥檛 go smoothly. It typified how both QB and coach could work past their issues for the common good.
鈥淪omething happened, I ended up like, I got (ticked) off, too, and I ended up waving him off,鈥� Williams said.
Waving off the coach at practice probably wasn鈥檛 the smartest thing to do.
鈥淎nd then he lit a fuse into the (helmet) mic,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 think it was in training camp.鈥�
Johnson鈥檚 attention to detail with his offense frequently resulted in blowups at camp. It even happened in OTAs. He let his anger flow freely after mistakes.
Williams was often described coming out of college as lacking discipline, but he and other players learned to respond to Johnson’s demands and appreciated what the new coach brought to the team.
鈥淗e likes things the way he likes things to be done and we understand that and everybody wants to go out there and win and play for him, and I think we鈥檝e shown that so far,鈥� Williams said.
Williams and the Bears go into their game at San Francisco on Sunday night with a chance to become the NFC鈥檚 top seed one year after finishing 5-12.
They need wins over the 49ers and Lions and a loss by Seattle to finish atop the conference. To win the NFC North after finishing last in 2024, they need one more win or a loss by Green Bay.
Williams, meanwhile, is enjoying how he has proved the doubters wrong regarding the Bears and his own career.
鈥淚鈥檝e said it in a couple speeches that I had before, that I wasn鈥檛 the biggest, I wasn鈥檛 the strongest, I wasn鈥檛 the tallest, fastest, whatever the case may be,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚 get drafted here, told that I鈥檓 not a special player, told then I鈥檓 not a good fit here, told that coach and I won鈥檛 work, told that I won鈥檛 win here.
“And so, I know that it鈥檚 going to keep going on but I do take a little satisfaction in things like that and being able to help this team and help this organization be a part of it, to get to the playoffs.鈥�
And he believes reaching the postseason is only a start.
鈥淢y goal isn鈥檛 just to get to the playoffs,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淢y goal is to win, and to win big.鈥�
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