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While Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is living his best life with new head coach Ben Johnson, there was a time when the former Heisman winner was willing to go to extreme lengths to avoid being drafted by Chicago.
In a new book from Seth Wickersham, it was revealed that Williams was so concerned about being picked by the Bears that he and his dad, Carl Williams, considered different avenues to avoid that from happening -- from circumventing the NFL draft to figuring a way around the league's collective bargaining agreement to signing with the United Football League.
The main reason had to do with Chicago's failure to develop quarterbacks, as evidenced by the most recent failures in Justin Fields and Mitchell Trubisky, both first-round picks.
As fate would have it, Johnson appeared on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd shortly after the report dropped, and the topic was addressed. Johnson was asked how he was going to deal with Williams' reported fears about the franchise's failures when it comes to quarterbacks, and Johnson had the perfect response.
“You talk about fears. I don’t see it quite the same way," he said. "I see this as what a great opportunity that we have to do something that’s never been done. There’s never been a 4,000-yard passer in this franchise and I think Caleb’s going to be the first one. One of many years where he’s going to accomplish that feat. I see a chance for greatness here for him. He’s been communicative that way. He feels the same way. I don’t know about what’s gone on before I joined the organization, but he’s very proud to be a Chicago Bear.
"That’s what our conversations have included. He’s really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025. There’s no question we’ll face adversity. We want to see growth over the course of the season. It’s not going to be linear growth. It’s going to be a little bit of ups and downs along to the way, but we want to see from Game 1 to 17 that we’re getting better as a whole. That’s not just him, that’s us as a team as well. I’m excited. That’s what makes coaching fun. When the hiccups occur, when the adversity strikes, how do we respond to it. That’s when you find out who you are as a man.”
No one blames Williams or his dad for their concerns about the Bears franchise, especially after what transpired with Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron last season. But it's a thing of the past now that Johnson is in place as head coach, and he's the perfect quarterback coach for Williams.
This offseason has been all about building around Williams -- from the hiring of Johnson to revamping the offensive line to continuing to add weapons around him. The Bears are doing everything in their power to make sure Williams is in a position to succeed. Now, the rest is up to him.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson flips the script on Caleb Williams reports
Continue reading...
In a new book from Seth Wickersham, it was revealed that Williams was so concerned about being picked by the Bears that he and his dad, Carl Williams, considered different avenues to avoid that from happening -- from circumventing the NFL draft to figuring a way around the league's collective bargaining agreement to signing with the United Football League.
The main reason had to do with Chicago's failure to develop quarterbacks, as evidenced by the most recent failures in Justin Fields and Mitchell Trubisky, both first-round picks.
As fate would have it, Johnson appeared on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd shortly after the report dropped, and the topic was addressed. Johnson was asked how he was going to deal with Williams' reported fears about the franchise's failures when it comes to quarterbacks, and Johnson had the perfect response.
“You talk about fears. I don’t see it quite the same way," he said. "I see this as what a great opportunity that we have to do something that’s never been done. There’s never been a 4,000-yard passer in this franchise and I think Caleb’s going to be the first one. One of many years where he’s going to accomplish that feat. I see a chance for greatness here for him. He’s been communicative that way. He feels the same way. I don’t know about what’s gone on before I joined the organization, but he’s very proud to be a Chicago Bear.
"That’s what our conversations have included. He’s really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025. There’s no question we’ll face adversity. We want to see growth over the course of the season. It’s not going to be linear growth. It’s going to be a little bit of ups and downs along to the way, but we want to see from Game 1 to 17 that we’re getting better as a whole. That’s not just him, that’s us as a team as well. I’m excited. That’s what makes coaching fun. When the hiccups occur, when the adversity strikes, how do we respond to it. That’s when you find out who you are as a man.”
No one blames Williams or his dad for their concerns about the Bears franchise, especially after what transpired with Matt Eberflus and Shane Waldron last season. But it's a thing of the past now that Johnson is in place as head coach, and he's the perfect quarterback coach for Williams.
This offseason has been all about building around Williams -- from the hiring of Johnson to revamping the offensive line to continuing to add weapons around him. The Bears are doing everything in their power to make sure Williams is in a position to succeed. Now, the rest is up to him.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears HC Ben Johnson flips the script on Caleb Williams reports
Continue reading...
