The Chicago Bears want to win. They want to win badly. Going 12 years with only one winning season is torture for a franchise with such a rich history of success. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to solve the biggest riddle in the NFL. That is the quarterback position. They’ve gone through so many names. They signed big names, traded for big names, and spent multiple top 10 picks on them. It just hasn’t worked. Caleb Williams is their latest attempt. If he can’t deliver, it might be time to wonder if the franchise is cursed.
One essential step for a quarterback’s success is his relationship with the head coach. It didn’t take long to realize that Williams and Matt Eberflus didn’t mix. That is why the Bears hired Ben Johnson. He had the offensive expertise and disciplined coaching style a young kid like Williams needed. Could they coexist? Every indication is that they have. However, it hasn’t been without bumps in the road. Williams admitted to the Chicago Sun-Times that he and Johnson have had moments of friction along the way.
“Because Ben and I care so much and are so passionate about winning, we’ve had a few moments where we clash,” Williams told the Sun-Times. “It’s not a clash like, ‘I hate you.’ It’s like a brotherly clash. You’re just two fiery people getting after it. You love each other and you care for each other, and you also care about where you’re at and what you’re doing.
“Those moments are important. Ben and I actually clashed recently, and I ended up being wrong. Then we sat and discussed the moment and what he wants from me, and you just keep moving along… It was more like, ‘I understand, I get it.’ I want that moment.”
Caleb Williams doesn’t need a buddy. He needs a coach.
History is full of highly productive quarterback-coach relationships in which the two guys involved weren’t always fond of each other. Terry Bradshaw hated Chuck Noll for years in Pittsburgh. Joe Montana grew embittered towards Bill Walsh for the treatment he received in his later San Francisco years. Mike Holmgren frequently considered moving on from Brett Favre. We all know the complicated story of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The point is Caleb Williams doesn’t need Johnson to be his friend. He needs him to be the guy who holds him accountable. Quarterbacks have more power than any player, on and off the field. Only head coaches have more. Eberflus wasn’t willing to tell Williams what he needed to hear. That won’t be an issue with Johnson.
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