Nothing is more important in the modern NFL than the relationship between the head coach and quarterback. If those two aren't on the same page, nothing else matters. They need to have the same mindset about what it takes to win. The coach needs a plan for how to build around the quarterback to get the most out of him. This has been a constant issue for the Chicago Bears for years. Getting the head coach and quarterback on the same page might be their kryptonite, often because the two have rarely been aligned. Matt Eberflus didn't draft Justin Fields. Matt Nagy didn't draft Mitch Trubisky. John Fox and Marc Trestman inherited Jay Cutler. Lovie Smith didn't draft Rex Grossman. The cycle has been constant for two decades. Yet somehow Ben Johnson will try to break it.
The new Bears head coach didn't draft Caleb Williams. He stepped in, hoping to fix what Eberflus tried so hard to break last year. Some have wondered if the two are a good fit. Johnson ran an offense in Detroit that was tailored to a true pocket passer with heavy doses of play action. Williams made his name as a shotgun quarterback playing lots of spread, which allowed him to use his natural ability as a scrambler. Longtime QB expert Greg Cosell isn't worried about that. He thinks Johnson is a perfect answer for Williams, but for different reasons. He explained on the Ross Tucker podcast.
Ben Johnson won't coddle Williams, which is vital.
Being the quarterback and a former #1 overall pick, too many coaches have a bad tendency to tiptoe around guys. They don't want to risk alienating a player with considerable pull inside the organization. Former Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown mentioned this last year. You can't be afraid to coach guys, even if they may not like it. What they like or don't like doesn't matter. It must be done in the best interests of the team. Football is hard. If you want to be great at it, your body and mind need sharpening to a razor's edge, especially at quarterback. Williams was not that last year. It wasn't entirely his fault, but it was apparent he needed a firmer hand guiding him. That is what Ben Johnson will be.
