“This Time, the Bears Got It Right”: Ben Johnson's Impact on Caleb Williams Sparks Bold Belief

Ben Johnson continues to win over supporters and doubters at a record pace.

The Bears coach has come out of press conferences at OTAs sounding the voice of reason and providing leadership in a way no other Bears coach has this century. It's difficult sometimes to be skeptical about anything he says.

ESPN's Get Up addressed the Caleb Williams issue and even analyst Michael Wilbon, a Bears follower from the time he started following the game, admitted he has doubts about any Bears coach ever getting anything out of any quarterback but believes Johnson will eventually make a success out of Williams.

"For 60 years I have followed every move of this team," Wilbon said. "I'm not exaggerating—60. What I know for certain is the Bears are going to screw up a quarterback situation. They're going to draft the wrong guy, they're going to have the wrong coach, they're going to coach that guy poorly. OK? That I know.

"That is not the case here."

Wilbon pointed back to last year to explain his view.

"And the notion somehow that he (Williams) is undisciplined and cannot play on schedule is a function of coaching," Wilbon maintained. "And last year he didn't have to do that, he wasn't required to do it, and he didn't even know how to do it. He is going to be coached."

The "Ben Johnson effect" will turn Caleb Williams into a successful NFL QB, Wilbon maintained.

"Coaching, NFL coaching is not looked at critically enough with a critical eye," Wilbon said. "Ben Johnson seems to be exactly what the Bears and Caleb Williams need."

Wilbon cited the way Johnson said he was going to tear the offense down to studs and build it around Williams' skill set, how they've acquired virtually every possible weapon he could need.

"Anybody who doesn't see and listen to Caleb Williams and think he's not a sponge who's willing and able to do this, we are on separate pages and I don't believe a word of that," Wilbon said. "And I'm a guy that knows the Bears are gonna get it wrong for 100 years—this, they're gonna get right."

At least Wilbon is more convinced of this than fellow panelist Mike Tannenbaum, who actually worked with Ben Johnson as the Dolphins VP of football operations.

"I worked with Ben Johnson in Miami, the new head coach of the Bears," Tannenbaum said. "He is going to be a rule-based, disciplined, play caller and coach.

"When you have 68 sacks, look, the Bears were not great at coaching, not great in personnel last year, but you (Williams) have to bear some of that responsibility. No team has done more for their quarterback in this offseason than the Bears. We'll see if they get better, but I'm concerned about his (Williams) lack of discipline and his fundamentals. That's going to not allow him to maximize his potential."

As a result, Tannenbaum remains unconvinced Williams will be the QB the team needs.

While Tannenbaum has plenty of NFL experience, he also has a reputation for more waffling than a Waffle House.

He also said they had to draft Williams and trade Justin Fields in 2024.

“I’d rather have Caleb Williams, who has greater upside in my opinion, plus roughly an additional $30 million a year to improve the team,” he said.

So they did and now he's not sure about Williams.

Here's something for certain: If Williams does fail Tannenbaum will be able to say he told everyone so, but if Williams succeeds he'll be able to say Johnson improved the fundamentals and discipline.

There's an art to this waffling, and it's all about positioning yourself in a way to come out looking good no matter what.

Wilbon's view was much bolder and an actual stance one way or the other on the topic, not to mention far more entertaining.