Caleb Williams received a series of phone calls Monday afternoon that sparked a wave of emotion and left him with a sense of clarity and excitement for the future.
While driving down a Florida highway, Williams’ phone rang. On the other end were Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren, Chairman George H. McCaskey, General Manager Ryan Poles, and Special Advisor Ted Crews. They informed him that Ben Johnson would be the team’s new head coach.
Williams kept his cool, thanked the group, and then allowed himself to fully take in the news. “I gave out a loud yell and scream of excitement,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “It brings a lot of clarity to the offseason. I’m really excited about the Bears and about keeping Ben Johnson as our coach for a long time.”
Soon after, Crews called back and gave Williams Johnson’s correct phone number. This came after Williams had been pranked by a group of teens pretending to be Johnson, texting him under false pretenses. Williams laughed off the prank, calling it “great PR” and saying it showed his excitement.
Before Williams had a chance to save the number, Johnson called him directly. After hearing about the prank, the new coach sent a selfie to confirm his identity. Johnson then video-called Williams, expressing his excitement about joining the Bears and working with his new quarterback.
“We hopped on the phone, and we shared the same excitement for him being the coach here and for us to grow together,” Williams said. “He has a sense of fire. You can see it in him, and I have a similar fire myself.”
That call marked the first time Williams and Johnson spoke directly. Williams joked that after the Bears played the Lions last season, he tried to find Johnson to shake his hand, but Johnson probably knew better than to do so after the game.
In their conversation, as well as Johnson’s introductory press conference, which Williams attended with teammates DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, and Rome Odunze, Williams saw the head coach’s commitment to building a winning culture rooted in trust and accountability.
“It’s going to start with Ben and the coaches he brings in,” Williams said. “Once we figure out how things need to be run, it will spread into the locker room, and then we have to take it and run with it.”
Johnson made it clear to Williams that while accountability would be central, it would be paired with strong support and constant communication between them. The goal is to build an offense centered around Williams and the team’s playmakers.
Johnson’s success in Detroit — where he helped lead one of the league’s top offenses — brings high expectations, but he emphasized that the Bears’ offense won’t simply copy what he ran with the Lions. This was music to Williams’ ears.
“He told me that it’ll be my offense,” Williams said. “He’s going to build around me, but also challenge me. He’ll push me to improve in the offseason. But if something doesn’t fit with me, it won’t be in our offense.”
Williams is ready for the challenge. He’s eager to spend this offseason working closely with Johnson, learning from his experience and building a strong relationship. Now that he knows who his coach will be, Williams is focused on his goals for the 2025 season.
“For me, selfishly and unselfishly, it’s about being my best every Sunday to help the team compete and win,” Williams said. “If we go 1-0 each week, the outcome we all want will take care of itself.”
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