With his sophomore season in the books, the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams is looking to further emerge as one of the league's superstar quarterbacks under head coach Ben Johnson. Johnson recently shared a telling statement about Williams displaying a bit of a "goofy" side a year ago, but said the Bears' QB has since become a much more "serious player" with much more "intent" behind what he does. "He's getting to the practice field early.
He's making sure his part is taken care of. He's staying after with the guys, after practice," Johnson told reporters. "So he's taken a lot of pride in his approach right now, and it trickles down to everybody around him." "I think he continues to grow up and he's gonna be a great leader for us this year," the Bears coach said.
More news: Browns QB Plans Changed After Dillon Gabriel Injury Last season, the Bears' combination of the 2024 No. 1 pick and first-year head coach Johnson paid off, as Chicago achieved an 11-6 record and won the NFC North. They earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC, then defeated the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs before falling in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round. It was a magical Bears season, with many improbable wins, but it was hard to argue against Williams' talents as a quarterback.
In his second season, he began making smarter plays, avoiding sacks, and showed a strong ability to perform under pressure in high-stakes, late-game moments. The former USC standout threw for 27 touchdowns and nearly 4,000 passing yards, but his completion percentage dropped from 62.5% in his rookie season to 58.1% last season. If Williams is more poised, composed, and playing with stronger intent this season, then Chicago could definitely be a dangerous team in the NFL.
However, they're also facing what's considered the toughest regular-season schedule of all teams this coming season. In addition to playing competitive NFC North opponents, the Bears will later face teams that include the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks. They may also have some potential injury woes, but Johnson seems quite capable of weathering the storm.
They'll open their regular season on Sunday, Sept. 13, visiting the Carolina Panthers, with Williams and Johnson looking to get things started on the right path towards another successful season. More news: Tua Tagovailoa Busted for Commenting on His Own Instagram Post For more about the Chicago Bears and NFL, visit Newsweek Sports.
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