The Chicago Bears enter their prime-time showdown against the San Francisco 49ers positioned as one of the NFL’s most unexpected success stories.
At 11-4, Chicago has already locked up a playoff berth, sits one win from the NFC North crown, and remains alive in the chase for the conference’s top seed. That climb, however, was anything but smooth, especially behind the scenes early in the year.
Quarterback Caleb Williams recently acknowledged that his working relationship with first-year head coach Ben Johnson was uneasy during training camp.
The sophomore passer admitted there were moments when he questioned where he stood with his coach, a dynamic that fueled outside speculation following uneven losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions to open the season.
Those concerns were magnified given the franchise’s instability a year earlier, when Chicago went 5-12 and dismissed Matt Eberflus during a disastrous 2024-25 campaign.
Johnson addressed those comments publicly on Friday, framing the early disconnect as part of a longer process.
He pointed to his past experience alongside Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing at Boston College, explaining that trust sometimes develops quietly.
Once alignment followed, the Bears’ offense changed course. Williams committed fully to Johnson’s system, and Chicago’s execution improved steadily.
While the quarterback is not in the NFL Most Valuable Player race, his impact has been decisive, laying the foundation for the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2020 and redefining expectations around a team once viewed as rebuilding.
Trust, toughness, and a quarterback built for pressure
Chicago’s turnaround has been driven less by aesthetics and more by results, particularly late in games.
Williams leads the league with six comeback victories, matching Peyton Manning for the most fourth-quarter rallies in a single season by a quarterback under 25. That composure has reshaped how teammates and coaches view him, especially in high-leverage moments.
The confidence was hard-earned. Williams acknowledged hearing doubts after arriving in Chicago, from questions about fit to skepticism about whether he and Johnson could succeed together.
“I get drafted here… told that Coach and I won’t work, told I can’t win here,” Williams said, adding that while reaching the postseason matters, his ambitions extend far beyond participation. “My goal isn’t just to get to the playoffs — my goal is to win and win big.”
Johnson’s response to the early friction revealed a broader philosophy.
“I treat Caleb like I do the rest of these guys… I just want them to become the best player that they can be,” he said.
As Chicago prepares for its most significant game in years, the Bears’ rise reflects more than a hot streak. It highlights how early discomfort, paired with patience and belief, can evolve into cohesion.
With at least one playoff game secured, Williams now has a stage to test whether his late-game edge can carry over when the margin for error disappears.