In the aftermath of the Bears victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, former NFL superstar and current broadcaster JJ Watt offered one of the strongest public endorsements yet of Chicago’s new franchise pairing: head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams.
Watt, who called the game from the broadcast booth, praised Williams poise and command despite a few throws the second-year quarterback “may be frustrated he missed.” Still, Williams delivered a 3 touchdown, 0-interception performance on a day when the run game wasn’t its usual strength. According to Watt, that’s exactly what great quarterbacks do — step up when their team needs them most.
Watt also highlighted the offensive line’s protection, noting they kept Williams clean all afternoon outside of the lone strip-sack touchdown. But the most compelling part of Watt’s analysis centered on Ben Johnson, the rookie head coach Chicago has pinned its future on.
“Ben Johnson is the real deal,” Watt said. “He minimizes risk for his players while taking full advantage of weaknesses in defenses. His personality and leadership are phenomenal. He’s been spectacular in our meetings so far this year.”
Those comments carry serious weight coming from a future Hall of Famer known for his honesty and high standards. And the early returns reflect exactly what he’s describing: a young quarterback thriving in a system custom-built for him, and a head coach already establishing a clear identity.
It’s still early, as Watt emphasized, but based on everything we’ve seen so far, the Bears may have finally found the pairing they’ve been searching for — a star quarterback and a head coach capable of elevating him.
