What Ben Johnson's Comments Reveal About Caleb Williams Growth Since USC

The Chicago Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers in a key divisional matchup as both teams are fighting for first place in the NFC North, and Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams' game-sealing interception exemplifies the former USC Trojans star's strengths and weaknesses as he continues to develop as an NFL quarterback.

To his credit, Willams had the Bears in striking distance after driving 60 yards down the field trailing 28-21 with under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. He has shown off the ability to perform under pressure, and Williams threw two touchdowns in the second half during Chicago's comeback attempt. While Williams and the Bears had a chance to tie the game thanks in part to their quarterback,

On Monday, Bears coach Ben Johnson was asked about the ups and downs he's seen from Williams, and Johnson continued to express his confidence in his quarterback.

caleb williams chicago bears quarterback ben johnson green bay packers loss nfc north usc trojans lincoln riley nfl playoffs — Nov 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Soldier Field. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

"There’s certainly some that, you can talk about each week where you feel like guys are open and we can certainly give them the ball on time and give them a chance to run after catch and all that," said Johnson. "And there’s that mix of ‘Oh my gosh, that’s one of the most incredible plays I’ve ever seen in my life,’ type deal with him."

"That’s something we’re trying to do is combine both of those worlds to where we think we’re going to have a really good quarterback in this league, a really dangerous quarterback in this league, a really dangerous offense, a really good team for a long time when we’re really able to combine both of those thought processes. So, we’re not quite there yet. We’re working diligently every day. I’ve said it every week that you see growth in so many other areas that when that last little bit comes along, I think we’re going to be really pleased with where we are," Johnson continued."

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Caleb Williams' College Highlights

Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy with USC and Trojans coach Lincoln Riley. Behind his success in college was his ability to extend plays and make accurate throws while outside of the pocket and evading defenders. As Johnson alluded to, Williams' flashes made him widely considered the top quarterback of his age, years before becoming eligible to declare for the NFL Draft.

Nov 18, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws during the first quarter against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

The former Trojan often made plays with his legs, but he also showed the ability to stand in the pocket and make throws in rhythm. It seems as though marrying these two skills could be the "last little bit" that Johnson is referring too.

On his way to winning the Heisman, Williams threw for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and five interceptions for USC in 2022. Williams excelled with Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, known as an elite offensive mind, and history favors the Bears quarterback figuring things out.

Against the Packers, Williams completed 54.3 percent of his passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He kept the Bears in the game, but it wasn't enough to pick up the win over Green Bay.