"Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams and Coach Ben Johnson Already Establishing Strong Connection"
In the early stages of their partnership as the driving force behind the Chicago Bears' offense, quarterback Caleb Williams feels a strong bond with first-year head coach Ben Johnson.
Williams, who previously played under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma and followed him to USC, is embarking on his first full offseason in the NFL and is currently getting to know Johnson, the former offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions who was hired in January.
\"I have a talent for recognizing when I click with someone, when I have a good connection with someone,\" Williams stated on Tuesday during a break at Halas Hall, where the Bears are currently holding voluntary offseason workouts. \"It was a similar feeling to when I first met Lincoln (Riley) five years ago, which is pretty crazy to say. It was a very similar feeling.\"
As the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams had multiple coaches and play-callers during his debut season, including interim head coach Thomas Brown after Matt Eberflus was fired in November. General manager Ryan Poles received approval from ownership and team president Kevin Warren to make a bold pitch and financial offer to Johnson, who was chosen as a first-time head coach due to his offensive expertise and track record of developing quarterbacks.
Williams revealed that the tests and challenges - quite literally - began with Johnson on Monday and continued into Tuesday morning.
\"Today, we had our first quiz as a QB group,\" Williams chuckled. \"Ben walked in this morning, flung the door open, made a grand entrance, and then we got to work with him testing us on what we discussed yesterday. He's already testing us. Everyone loves a challenge. It's one of the best things about this sport. Every day is a new challenge.\"
