Ben Johnson Takes Charge as Bears’ Head Coach
When Ben Johnson was announced as the Chicago Bears’ new head coach on January 22, fans were eager to see the impact he would have, especially following his track record.
At the forefront of these expectations was quarterback Caleb Williams, who was drafted first overall by the Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft. There were glimpses of his potential during his rookie season—he completed 62.5% of his passes, accumulating 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns, though he did throw six interceptions. However, one major concern was that he was sacked a league-high 68 times.
Johnson’s background as the former offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions sparks hope. He transformed Jared Goff from being seen as a transitional quarterback after the Matthew Stafford trade into a contender for the MVP award. The big question now is, can he replicate that success with Williams?
In a recent game, the Bears beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-14, and statistically, it was the best performance of Williams’ career. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 298 yards and matched his previous record with four touchdown passes. He also achieved a personal best quarterback rating of 142.6 against the Cowboys.
One play particularly stood out in this victory—a flea flicker that resulted in a touchdown pass, giving the Bears a 14-3 lead with just over four minutes left in the first half. This moment took on extra significance largely because of D’Andre Swift’s pitch to Williams.
That play was remarkable, even though the pitch to Williams was a bit high. You could imagine how long it felt for the ball to come down. Yet, instead of panicking, Williams kept his composure, delivering a strike to a rookie receiver for his first career touchdown.
Understanding the complexity of that play requires looking at it from different angles. In one shot, you can see how high the toss was; it’s as if Williams was waiting for the football to come down right to him.
In the end, he executed the play perfectly, fulfilling the anticipation Bears fans had harbored for months.
