Bears HC Ben Johnson Shuts Down Rumors of Caleb Williams’ Unhappiness in Chicago

Caleb Williams was ready to play for any other team except the Chicago Bears before he was drafted by the NFC team.

Bears HC Ben Johnson Shuts Down Rumors of Caleb Williams’ Unhappiness in Chicago

Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson (Image via IMAGO)

It’s no longer a secret that Ben Johnson took over the Chicago Bears head coaching job because he saw the potential in Caleb Williams. However, recent reports paint a bleak picture of the Bears organization before Johnson stepped foot in Halas Hall in Chicago.

Set to be released this next September, a new book called American Kings: A Biography Of The Quarterback by Seth Wickersham records conversations with Williams’ father, Carl Williams. In the interview, Williams Sr., who famously didn’t want his son to play for the Bears, revealed that the USC graduate was ready to ditch the Chicago club to save his professional career.

Ben Johnson was a special guest on a recent segment of The Herd on FOX Sports. Host Colin Cowherd asked Johnson to clarify his stance on the matter. Johnson said:

I don’t know what’s gone on prior to him joining the organization, but he is a very proud Chicago Bear. He’s really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025.

Williams’ senior allegedly told Wickersham in the book, “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die.”  The Bears don’t boast a great history of nurturing young quarterbacks.

The NFC North team has gone through 36 quarterbacks since 1992. In comparison, their divisional rivals, the Green Bay Packers, employed only three regular starters: Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love. Williams was aware of this history and reportedly feared for his career just before the 2024 NFL draft.

Caleb Williams didn’t want to play for the Bears

During the combine, Williams met with several teams. One of them was the Minnesota Vikings. His interview with Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings head coach, went really well.

Bears HC Ben Johnson Shuts Down Rumors of Caleb Williams' Unhappiness in Chicago
Caleb Williams (Image via IMAGO)

Williams wanted to play for the Vikings because they offered a better team and work environment. Moreover, he didn’t view Shane Waldron and Matt Eberflus in the same light as O’Connell.

However, dozens of mock drafts mocked the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner as the number one overall pick to the Bears. The Bears also had zero intentions of trading their first pick to another team because they scouted Williams as the best player in the draft.

Waldron and Eberflus were fired midway through the season, and the Bears finished with a 5-12 record. Williams reportedly didn’t receive much help from his coaches during the season and was in tears after each match they lost. Caleb Williams said:

I’ll be honest with you. I’ve never lost this much. I lost ten games in one season. I think maybe eleven. It’s actually more than eleven. When I got home, I got in my bed. I just dropped a few tears. And I was just so beat-up mentally, physically, and spiritually.

The record looks horrible on paper, and Williams had some howlers along the way, but it wasn’t completely doom and gloom. As a matter of fact, he showed flashes of brilliance in patches that compelled the Bears to hire Johnson, who drew up plays for Jared Goff in Detroit for several years. Ben Johnson said after becoming the Bears’ new head coach:

There’s no question this guy is talented…He’s got quite a fastball and has some creativity to him. Can extend plays and is accurate down the field as well.

Williams threw 351 completions (62.5% pass completion) for 3541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Additionally, he rushed 81 times to gain 489 yards on the ground.

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