Caleb Williams Set For Success In Second Season With Bears

Sooner or later, the Bears are going to find a more accommodating home than Soldier Field, where Chicago players have been forced to suffer through “Bears weather” since 1971. Maybe George Halas and Dick Butkus liked the bare-bones stadium but certainly not the quarterbacks.

Given their salaries and standing, the likes of Jim McMahon, Jay Cutler, Jim Harbaugh, Erik Kramer and Mitchell Trubisky couldn’t complain too much about freezing temperatures and winds blowing off Lake Michigan. But backup quarterback Tyson Bagent no doubt spoke for his predecessors when he discussed the playing conditions.

“Oh my gosh, man, we should’ve been indoors about 25 years ago,” Bagent told David Kaplan on a Chicago podcast. “Goodness gracious. No 4,000-yard passer … my (butt). You all go stand outside. You all go stand out there … the chilly is fine but that wind has got a mind of its own.”

Carl Williams, Caleb Williams’ father, told author Seth Wickersham that Chicago is “where quarterbacks go to die.” Soldier Field is part of that story, for sure, but through the years the Bears’ coaches and general managers have not set up their quarterbacks for success.

Kramer holds the Bears record for passing yardage, and he set the mark in 1995, before the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning turned the NFL into a high-octane game. The Bears have finished in the top 10 in offense only once in the 21st century.

While Williams suffered through a 5-12 rookie season, his passing yardage (3542) was the fifth most in franchise history. That’s a sign of progress, and new head coach Ben Johnson see it as the start of a sea change.

“I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative,” Johnson told reporters in May. “That’s where great stories are written. We’re looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.”

Outside of enclosing Soldier Field, the Bears have done just about everything possible to help Williams become their first quarterback who consistently succeeds while throwing the ball.

George McCaskey and the team’s ownership opened their wallet to hire Johnson, who became a highly attractive coaching candidate while orchestrating Detroit’s dynamic offense. General Manager Ryan Poles used trades and free agency to overhaul the middle of the offensive line, then selected intriguing targets Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III in the draft.

Johnson is working with a rebuilt coaching staff that includes former Raiders and Saints head coach Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator, whiz kid Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator and former Ohio State All-Big Ten player J.T. Barrett as quarterbacks coach. Finally Poles acknowledged a missing piece from Williams’ rookie season by signing 37-year-old quarterback Case Keenum as a mentor and sounding board.

There’s no way Williams can succeed if he is again chased around the field while searching for open receivers. The Bears hope new linemen Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson and Drew Dalman will help cut their sack total drastically — after 68 last season, that isn’t a big ask — but Johnson knows Williams will once take some hits and miss connections with receivers.

That’s why he began working with Williams early on his demeanor, helping him to gain more understanding of his leadership role. According to Sports Illustrated, Johnson showed Williams video from last season where he let his frustration — sometimes exasperation — show while on the field.

“Body language is a huge thing,” Johnson said during OTAs. “We don’t want to be a ‘palms-up team,’ where we’re questioning everything. … To me, that’s a little bit of a sign of weakness. We don’t want to exhibit that from anybody on the team.”

You know who else showed a lot of emotion during his rookie season? Josh Allen, the four-time All-Pro who has taken Buffalo to the playoffs in each of the last six seasons.

Allen threw more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie but produced four 4,000-yard passing seasons by the time he was 27.

Williams is sure to experience more growing pains in his second season. But Poles and Johnson have put him in a position where his confidence should grow throughout the year, hopefully heading into high-stakes games in December.

He’ll have to tame the Chicago winter, sure, but don’t be surprised if he surpasses Kramer’s passing record. The arrow points up.