Bears QB Caleb Williams aims higher after making his partnership with coach Ben Johnson work

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The partnership between Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams was questioned frequently at the start of training camp, if not earlier.

Coach and quarterback alike are now heralding their relationship as a tremendous success after the team clinched a playoff berth, even though the Bears have struggled at times in the passing game.

“Every single day, we’re spending one-on-one time, quality time together, to where we can be very transparent with each other,” Johnson said. “And I think what I’ve grown to love about him — and I hope he would echo the same thing — I think we’re mentally very similar.

“We share a lot of the same competitive drive and we think very much the same way in a lot of regards.”

Williams has completed only 57.8% of his passes (285 of 493) for 3,400 yards with a passer rating of 89.5, just 1.7 higher than his rookie year. Yet he's made huge plays late in games, and the Bears (11-4) have won 11 of 13 since their blowout loss at Detroit in Week 2.

Williams acknowledged his relationship with Johnson didn't start the way it turned out, and recalled a point early on when things didn’t go smoothly. It typified how both QB and coach could work past their issues for the common good.

“Something happened, I ended up like, I got (ticked) off, too, and I ended up waving him off,” Williams said.

Waving off the coach at practice probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

“And then he lit a fuse into the (helmet) mic,” Williams said. “I think it was in training camp.”

Johnson’s attention to detail with his offense frequently resulted in blowups at camp. It even happened in OTAs. He let his anger flow freely after mistakes.

Williams was often described coming out of college as lacking discipline, but he and other players learned to respond to Johnson's demands and appreciated what the new coach brought to the team.

“He likes things the way he likes things to be done and we understand that and everybody wants to go out there and win and play for him, and I think we’ve shown that so far,” Williams said.

Williams and the Bears go into their game at San Francisco on Sunday night with a chance to become the NFC’s top seed one year after finishing 5-12.

They need wins over the 49ers and Lions and a loss by Seattle to finish atop the conference. To win the NFC North after finishing last in 2024, they need one more win or a loss by Green Bay.

Williams, meanwhile, is enjoying how he has proved the doubters wrong regarding the Bears and his own career.

“I’ve said it in a couple speeches that I had before, that I wasn’t the biggest, I wasn’t the strongest, I wasn’t the tallest, fastest, whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “I get drafted here, told that I’m not a special player, told then I’m not a good fit here, told that coach and I won’t work, told that I won’t win here.

"And so, I know that it’s going to keep going on but I do take a little satisfaction in things like that and being able to help this team and help this organization be a part of it, to get to the playoffs.”

And he believes reaching the postseason is only a start.

“My goal isn’t just to get to the playoffs,” Williams said. “My goal is to win, and to win big.”

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