Bears coach Ben Johnson has seen an ultra-focused, totally professional approach from quarterback Caleb Williams, saying recently he comes to work each day with “a mission in mind,” and that’s a step forward in itself.
When they began their partnership last year, however, Johnson would occasionally side-eye Williams when his attention seemed to drift or he didn’t bring an all-business disposition into Halas Hall. He even seemed a little “goofy,” his coach thought, which is basically the complete opposite of how Johnson rolls.
“I’ve seen a very composed person every time he steps into the building,” Johnson said before practice Tuesday afternoon. “This guy might’ve had a little bit of goofy to him a year ago, and I use that term with love. Now I see a more serious player and intent every time I’m around him. His teammates feel that as well.
“He’s getting to the practice field early. He’s making sure his part is taken care of. He’s warmed up, he’s ready to go. He stays after with the guys. He’s taking a lot of pride in his approach right now, and it trickles down to everyone around him. It’s a great thing. He continues to grow up and he’s going to be a huge leader for us this year.”
Those are all positives, although it probably frustrated Johnson that the previous staff hadn’t steered Williams to this point or that he hadn’t arrived there himself.
Former coach Matt Eberflus and his staff seemed to defer to Williams too much, and there was an overall presumption that he was further along than he actually was. They should’ve coached him like the rookie that he was, regardless of him being a Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 overall pick.
Johnson corrected that immediately. In fact, last season was such a change in tone from what Williams was used to that, for a while, he believed his coach disliked him. Now they speak glowingly of each other at every turn.
Anyway, Johnson knew as soon as he used the word “goofy” about his starting quarterback, even in past tense, it’d require an explanation. He smirked as the very next question was about his definition of the word. He reminded everyone that he’d used it with affection, then illustrated the change he’s seen in Williams over the past year.
“When we step on the grass, you can see that he’s locked in,” Johnson said. “He’s got his blinders on and he’s only concerned about doing his job at a high level.
“There were some times where, maybe a year ago, [he’d] get sidetracked or distracted a little bit. This year, that has not been the case. He’s serious about his approach, his job and making sure he’s taking his game to the next level.”
Soon after, on the practice field, Johnson gave Williams a heads up on his word choice. A couple hours later, Williams sat in a conference room at Halas Hall with a handful of local reporters to chat about the upcoming season, which starts Sept. 13 at the Panthers, and the comment came up.
“He came up to me and said, ‘They got me,’ talking about y’all,” he said with a smile. “He told me, and we laughed.
“I’m going to laugh, I’m going to joke, I’m going to be goofy, I’m going to have fun, but my maturity level has gone up in understanding… what I’m doing for the organization.”
For the record, no one baited Johnson into saying “goofy.” He lofted that one up freely.
His real point, though, was that Williams is growing into the player and leader the Bears need.
He’s getting sharper in Johnson’s offense, and playing well is essential to leading. He has a better handle on not only his responsibilities, but everyone else’s. He’s on the field saying pretty much what Johnson would say if he was out there. That’s the ultimate goal in the coach-quarterback connection.
“He’s getting to the point now when things aren’t right, he gets pissed off, which is what the best ones do,” Johnson said. “He’s really hard on himself, first and foremost… but now it’s to the point where if we’re that close and somebody [messes up], he’s not afraid to let them know. He’s earned that right with how he has played over the last year and a half.”
That doesn’t sound goofy at all. That sounds like a player coming into his own and adopting his coach’s attitude along the way.
That’s what the Bears want as they evaluate whether to crown Williams as their franchise quarterback with a massive contract extension after the season. He has to play well, obviously, but he also has to carry himself well. He and Johnson both plan to be here for a long time, and the tighter their relationship, the more of a force they’ll be.
