Ben Johnson isn’t wasting any time making headlines in Chicago. The Bears‘ new head coach recently talked about Caleb Williams, and you could hear the excitement in his voice. He called the rookie “super talented” and raved about his ability to make plays outside of structure. “The out of structure, the off schedule, the creation, that’s what stands out the most because that’s really the way that this league’s going right now it seems like.” Sounds like high praise, right? But then he hit everyone with this: “I haven’t really been around that since I’ve been in the league.”
Wait… what? Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator for Jared Goff in Detroit, helping him lead one of the best offenses in the NFL. So was that a little bit of shade? Sure sounds like it. Goff is known for thriving in structured systems, where he can go through his reads cleanly. But Johnson’s words made it pretty clear—he’s ready to work with a quarterback who can go off-script, make defenders miss, and extend plays when things break down.
Ben Johnson highlights Caleb Williams’ skills while throwing shade at Jared Goff
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) February 26, 2025
To get Williams up to speed, Johnson is going back to the basics. “The springtime not just for Caleb but for the entire team is we’re going to go back to the basics and that’s the fundamentals of each position—blocking, tackling, catching the football, running after the catch, ball security—we’re going to break it down to the studs and work to develop it from there.” And for Williams specifically? Johnson wants him to master the details. “It’s as simple as the procedure, the huddle, breaking the huddle, using cadence, motions, shifts—all those things that can help attack a defense that we feel like can take another step here in Chicago.” Basically, he’s making sure Williams has all the tools to thrive in the NFL, not just the natural talent.
Now, if we’re comparing Goff and Williams, it’s clear they’re two very different QBs. Goff is the guy who stays on script. He finished 2023 second in passing yards and thrives when the offense is running smoothly. But he’s not exactly known for breaking the pocket and making something happen when things go sideways. Williams? That’s his whole thing. Johnson’s words make it obvious that he’s excited to finally have a quarterback who can create on the fly.
Whether Johnson meant to throw Goff under the bus or not, the message is pretty loud and clear—he’s all in on this new era of Bears football. No more sticking to the script and hoping everything works out. He’s looking for some chaos, some creativity, and maybe even a little magic from his new QB1.
Dan Campbell breaks his silence on the Lions’ coaching overhaul
Dan Campbell finally spoke up, and as expected, he kept it real. After a wild offseason where Detroit lost both coordinators and a handful of assistants to promotions, the Lions had to hit the reset button on their staff. At his NFL Combine presser, Campbell gave the lowdown on the team’s new hires, and if there’s one thing that stood out—it’s that he made sure to bring in his guys.
One of the biggest moves? Promoting John Morton to offensive coordinator. Campbell made it clear this wasn’t just a random hire. “When we put this thing together, he was a part of this. I felt like that was the best move for us, was to get him back here.” But the biggest bonus? He already has a connection with Jared Goff. “Goff knows (him and is) comfortable with (him). He’s got a good rapport with Hank (Fraley, and) Bru (Mark Brunell).” Translation: Detroit wanted to keep Goff in his comfort zone while making sure the offense didn’t skip a beat.
For the rest of the offensive staff, Campbell sounded just as pumped. Scottie Montgomery, now coaching wide receivers, will have “a huge impact on the pass game.” Meanwhile, new running backs coach Tashard Choice is “probably one of the most coveted running backs coaches to come out of college in a while.” And with his prior relationship with Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions are banking on a smooth transition. Campbell also gave a big stamp of approval to new assistants Bruce Gradkowski and Marques Tuiasosopo, saying he felt like “those guys belong to us… They ought to be with us.”
On defense, the headline move was promoting Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator, and Campbell made it clear this wasn’t a snap decision. “I’ve always believed that Shep could be an outstanding coach… I just felt like, ‘Man, this guy will be ready to be a coordinator sooner than later’”. He also hyped up new defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, someone he’s worked with before. “I know what the D-line is like with him coaching them… I think Hutch (Aidan Hutchinson) and those guys are going to really like him and gravitate to him.” Sounds like Detroit’s defense is in some trusted hands.
At the end of the day, Campbell’s got one rule—he wants guys who fit the Lions’ culture. Every single hire he made? Someone he trusts, someone who’s got experience with either him, his staff, or his players. And after Detroit’s deep playoff run last season, Campbell isn’t about to let the momentum slip. This new staff is built to keep the train rolling, and knowing Campbell, he’s expecting it to roll right through the NFC.
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