Ben Johnson immediately changes the perception of Bears, Caleb Williams

The NFC North got a cataclysmic shift when it was reported the Chicago Bears locked down their next head coach in the form of Ben Johnson. It was such a well-respected hire that even Vegas took notice. 

According to Sports Illustrated, the Chicago Bears and their Super Bowls odds jumped up drastically for next season, bumping them from +6000 odds to +4000. The Ben Johnson effect is real in Chicago and he hasn’t coached a game yet. 

But with his hire come monstrous expectations. He might have the hardest job in the NFL other than the Dallas Cowboys because he can’t afford to not have instant success. The Bears must have a season nearly as good as the Washington Commanders did this year. 

If not, just as quickly as Johnson was heralded as the top coaching candidate, pundits will be ready to jettison him.

Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are the perfect match, but can the Chicago Bears turn this around?

What Johnson has done in Detroit is a blessing and curse for him now that he’s officially landed a head coaching position. It’s great because the Bears have all the reason to be extremely optimistic about what he can do with Caleb Williams. 

Despite the Bears being bad enough to go through a 10-game losing streak to end the season after starting 4-2, Williams had a solid year statistically. He threw for 3,541 yards with 20 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. He also had almost 500 rushing yards. 

Johnson has a lot to work with in Chicago. That’s also what makes his arrival a curse. He has a quarterback and some offensive weapons around Williams. And with Washington going from the No. 2 pick to the NFC championship in one season, the Bears are expecting that kind of turn around as well. 

It won’t be easy. Though the Minnesota Vikings are leaning toward letting Sam Darnold go, they are confident in one of Daniel Jones or J.J. McCarthy will still keep them competitive in the division. The Detroit Lions are obviously going to be a threat, despite potentially losing both coordinators. 

And the Green Bay Packers were a playoff team this year as well. Johnson has his work cut out for him, but he probably couldn’t have walked into a better situation. Now he has the chance to replicate his dominance in Detroit in Chicago. 

He’ll have monstrous expectations year one. He’ll also have a lot to work with to make sure he can meet those expectations.