The Chicago Bears knew what they had to do. If they wanted to maximize Caleb Williams as a quarterback, they would have to find a head coach who could get the most out of him. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had crafted one of the league’s most prolific units over the past three years, elevating Jared Goff to near-MVP levels. Chicago made sure he was their target from the outset. However, some were skeptical of the move. While Johnson’s reputation was well-deserved, they had reservations about how Williams would fit in a pure drop-back system as he ran with Goff.
Ben Johnson Named New Head Coach of the Chicago Bears
Johnson decided to set the record straight on that. He did an interview with the Bears media team for the first episode of 1920 Football Drive. In it, he details how he plans to approach the offense in Chicago. One thing he made clear right from the start is that he won’t be bringing the Lions offense with him from Detroit. He plans to build a new system tailored to the specific talents of Williams.
Ben Johnson doesn’t seem intimidated by the challenge.
That shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, what he ran in Detroit wasn’t any specific system. It is believed to have been an amalgamation of various schemes he’d grown familiar with during his NFL career, focused on plays that fit what Goff did best. Safe to say it worked beautifully. Williams is the same type of quarterback. He is much more of a shotgun-oriented passer who is at his best when able to get outside the pocket and make plays. Ben Johnson must learn to harness that ability while working to help expand the quarterback’s game. That is what Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes. Johnson’s diverse background makes him uniquely qualified for this task, unlike Matt Nagy, who grew up in only one system.
