Much of the credit for the Chicago Bears’ turnaround belongs to first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Quarterback Caleb Williams recently called him “the best coach in the world,” and as the two have spent more time working together, their shared competitive drive has only strengthened their bond.
Through Week 16, the Bears sit at 11-4 as the NFC’s No. 2 seed and need just one win over their final two games to clinch the NFC North.
After a signature performance against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, Williams has drawn praise for helping flip a long-standing imbalance in the rivalry, while Johnson has emerged as a legitimate Coach of the Year candidate.
Caleb Williams didn’t think Ben Johnson ‘likes me’
Together, the duo has taken ownership of the team’s resurgence and delivered at a high level. Following a rough rookie debut for Williams and the Bears, Johnson’s hiring now looks like a perfect fit. But the partnership didn’t begin so smoothly.
“At certain parts it felt like our relationship was pretty fragile,” Williams said, jokingly mispronouncing the word as “frah-gee-lay” with a grin, quoting A Christmas Story.
“It was like, ‘Gee, this dude doesn’t seem like he likes me,’” Williams said. “But you start figuring out that that’s just him and... He cares so much about winning.
“And then when you get off the field, he’s one of the guys. He’s a player’s coach. He laughs and jokes with us. He’s bumping us around, so it’s fun, it’s enjoyable when we’re off the field. It’s fun and enjoyable when we’re on the field, but it did take a little bit.”
It hasn’t all been smooth. Williams acknowledged during training camp that the two had their share of disagreements, but those moments became opportunities for growth. Instead of bristling at Johnson’s relentless and emphatic corrections, Williams embraced them—and improved because of it.