Ben Johnson Stayed Cold on Caleb Williams' Madden Cover as Bears Teammates Gushed

Ben Johnson didn't seem to like it much, although Caleb Williams' teammates couldn't get enough of it.

Williams making the cover of Madden put the national spotlight on the Bears again. They never seem to go long without finding it these days.

“No reaction,” was how Johnson reacted. Of course a coach isn't going to like his quarterback on the cover over Madden because something like that can be a distraction, never mind the supposed jinx associated with that honor — it never bothered Patrick Mahomes.

Johnson lightened up a bit when asked about his quarterback's ability to focus when all else around him is out of whack. Perhaps Williams will be one of those QBs who can handle the attention.

The uniform of quarterback Caleb Williams was featured in The Super Bowl Experience in February, and now he's a cover boy. — The uniform of quarterback Caleb Williams was featured in The Super Bowl Experience in February, and now he's on the cover of Madden. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I think he's wired the right way," Johnson said. "He wants to be great. When that's the case, you can coach him hard."

Williams knows he's going to get that anyway. He did last year. He's already getting it now. Williams might be a Madden poster guy but he's getting criticized by Johnson no matter what.

"We're showing clips in front of the offense unit today and there's some things from yesterday's practice that, in my opinion, he can get better at," Johnson said. "So you coach him just like you coach all the rest of the guys. And he wants that, he wants to be coached the same. We meet every single day. That process has gone really, really well. We're seeing the game through the same lens, which I think is critical for a play caller and a quarterback to be able to do. I'm really, really proud about how he's gone about this offseason so far.”

Teammates are just proud of their guy for achieving an honor they all would like thanks largely to his seven fourth-quarter comebacks. There's no doubt in teammates' mind that he belongs on the cover, although there certainly is plenty of opposition to this first-time ever situation for the Bears.

“Especially being in a city like Chicago, I feel like that helps for sure," guard Jonah Jackson said. "But his caliber as a player, the plays he made last year, the games he was able to help us win, it was a no-brainer who should have been on it.”

To cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, the comebacks made the cover of Madden possible for Williams.

“We just knew honestly towards the end of the season coming out to the third quarter--knowing that he's going turn it on and just knowing that as long as we stay to our rules, we play our game, we have a chance at every game,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson was thinking ahead to when it might be a valuable souvenir.

"I told him he’s got to sign mine," cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. "I'm definitely proud of him for that though. I'm actually honored to be on the team with somebody on the Madden cover.”

One of the guys who caught Williams' throws was all in.

“I loved it," Rome Odunze said. "He had a spectacular season and the cover was dope. His little MJ tribute. I know the Chicagoans are happy to see that throwback. It was pretty cool.

"I don't really play Madden that much, but I’ve got to play this year to see the animations they put in for his throws. I know (they had) that little under(-handed) tossed throw that Patrick Mahomes had a few years ago. That was dope.”

Maybe this one will feature a jump pass downfield like Odunze caught on fourth-and-8 against the Packers.

While they're happy for their teammate, there could be just a touch of jealousy in there.

"Who doesn't want to be on the cover of Madden?" Jackson said. "Hopefully next year maybe the O-line gets some love or something.”

O-linemen?

Caleb Williams has the national spotlight again and the Bears haven't even reached training camp or minicamp. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

X: Gchamberlai2

Add us as a preferred source on Google