Chicago Bears fans aren't strangers to tension or even bad blood between their quarterback and head coach. Mike Ditka and Jim McMahon always butted heads. Jay Cutler had well-documented issues with Mike Martz and Marc Trestman. Matt Nagy famously soured on Mitch Trubisky after 2018, while Justin Fields called out Matt Eberflus and his staff for their rigid style. Sometimes the two sides worked through it, but too often it led to public falling outs and the team's collapse. So you can imagine how some fans feel upon hearing whispers that Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams aren't at the most harmonious point right now.
The rumor is the Bears head coach is frustrated with his quarterback's progress, or lack thereof. He was hoping to see more precision from Williams by now. Neither man has even once hinted at something like this publicly. Both have insisted their relationship is good. Of course, they could be covering up the truth to avoid a scandal. Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog decided to set the record straight. Is there already a rift between the two?
Nope.
The two are on the same page from everything he's heard inside the building. Williams loves Johnson's teaching ability, while the head coach admires the quarterback's work ethic.
Ben Johnson is already seeing the signs he wants.
Williams had by far the best practice of training camp on Thursday. He accurately rifled throws to his receivers, both inside and outside the pocket. It wasn't perfect, but it was a huge step in the right direction. Don't forget this was only the first week of camp. For Williams to be showing such positive signs already is a great thing. The ascent of young receivers like Rome Odunze and Luther Burden has certainly helped, along with an improved offensive line. More than anything, Ben Johnson has been the difference. His relentless and detailed coaching style has kept Williams on his toes. Every small mistake gets instantly corrected. There is no cutting corners in this offense. The results are starting to show. If they translate to on-field success, their relationship will grow stronger as a result.
