It didn't take long for Chicago Bears fans to realize that the relationship between quarterback Caleb Williams and the 2024 coaching staff, particularly offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, wasn't going to work.
Waldron was, at times, embarrassing to watch. From his awkward demeanor to his mind-boggling play calls, he consistently put the Bears and Williams in situations that were inexplicably challenging.
The result was the first-ever Bears mid-season coaching change. Matt Eberflus got fired just a few weeks after Waldron, which kicked off the most anticipated coaching search in recent team history.
Ben Johnson, the most sought-after head coaching candidate of the last decade, was Chicago's first and presumably only choice. General manager Ryan Poles inked Johnson to a five-year, $65 million deal, jumpstarting an offseason hype machine that's continued throughout 2025 free agency.
And that hype isn't limited to just Bears fans, either. Williams' quarterback trainer, Will Hewlett, spoke with NFL writer Tyler Dunne and threw a mountain of wood on the blaze of excitement for this team in 2025.
“It’s the perfect storm,” Hewlett said of Williams and Johnson teaming up. “There’s great situations in the NFL and some that aren’t so great. But if you take a look at my Christmas list when all this stuff was starting to happen, that would’ve been my No. 1 choice based on my understanding of Ben and what type of guy he is and what type of coach."
Ah, the joy of unwrapping the perfect gift. It appears that's exactly what Bears fans received this offseason. Perhaps, all it took was a few lumps of coal and a whole lot of disappointment to get here.
“I don’t know that there’s a better scenario that could have panned out for Caleb. Because the pieces are there. And I’ve got nothing against the old staff—‘Flus’ was great to me and I know Shane Waldron—but it just wasn’t the right fit. Having an offensive-minded head coach and the mix of personalities, I think, now is going to be exactly what Caleb needs. Ben’s going to have a ton of fun with it.”
The Chicago Bears tend to be the team that contends for winning the offseason almost every year. They make a few splash signings and, because of poor regular season performances, select a top-10 rookie in the NFL Draft. But those talent upgrades usually fail because of poor coaching and overall organizational dysfunction.
That won't be the case in 2025. Ben Johnson changes everything, including the long-term projection and upside for Caleb Williams.
