Johnson: Love chance to alter Bears QB narrative

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- New Chicago Bears manager Ben Johnson said helium looks astatine the franchise's troubling way grounds of processing quarterbacks arsenic an opportunity.

Excerpts from ESPN elder writer Seth Wickersham's book "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback" highlighted the struggles Caleb Williams experienced passim his rookie play with the Bears and the trepidation that some the No. 1 prime and his father, Carl, shared astir the organization.

Wickersham's reporting revealed that Caleb Williams hoped to beryllium drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and that Carl Williams did not privation his lad to beryllium selected by the Bears due to the fact that Chicago was wherever "quarterbacks spell to die."

Johnson smiled Wednesday erstwhile asked astir that statement.

"I emotion it," helium said. "I emotion the accidental to travel connected successful and alteration that narrative. That's wherever large stories are written. So, we're looking to constitute a caller section present -- 2025 Chicago Bears -- and looking guardant to the future."

Johnson said helium spoke with Williams past week aft the excerpt came retired and seemed anxious to determination past the issues from the quarterback's rookie season.

"He's his ain man," Johnson said. "He's gonna beryllium treated arsenic such. I deliberation we're some truly looking guardant to turning the leafage connected years anterior and focusing connected the present and now."

Wickersham's publication besides elaborate the disconnect betwixt Williams and erstwhile Bears violative coordinator Shane Waldron, who was fired successful aboriginal November. Williams reportedly watched movie unsocial during his rookie play without the guidance from coaches. At respective points past year, Williams publically implored his coaches to clasp him accountable portion demanding harder coaching.

Williams was not made disposable by the squad Wednesday and has not spoken publically since the publication excerpt came out.

Johnson spent past play arsenic the Detroit Lions' violative coordinator, past was hired by Chicago successful January aft it went 5-12 successful 2024. The manager classified his archetypal 4 months of moving unneurotic with Williams arsenic "outstanding" and noted that the much clip they walk together, the amended Johnson said helium feels.

"It starts with processing a rapport and a trust, and that's earned implicit time," Johnson said. "You don't locomotion successful Day 1 and expect that to beryllium achieved, truthful the much clip we walk together, helium understands I person his champion interests astatine bosom and vice vera. He's gonna spell retired determination and play arsenic good arsenic helium perchance tin not conscionable for himself oregon for maine but for the full squad and the city. I mean, that's truly what it comes down to. So, we're precise overmuch aligned successful presumption of what we privation to get done and it conscionable takes much clip connected task successful presumption of getting connected the aforesaid leafage with however we're going to bash it."