The Chicago Bears certainly believe they have a chance to win the Super Bowl this season. Head coach Ben Johnson had a very successful first season in the Windy City, and the hope is that the second year with him and quarterback Caleb Williams will be worlds better than the first.
Johnson is definitely raring and ready to go for the 2026 season. This week, he mentioned his goal is to create the best offense in NFL history. It’s a lofty goal, but for someone like Johnson, that sort of benchmark is not exactly an eyeball-emoji take.
There is a ton of hype around Williams, but some are worried that Johnson may unintentionally hold him back. One former NFL quarterback is now warning the Bears head coach against placing unnecessary handcuffs on his franchise quarterback.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Warned Against ‘Handcuffing’ Caleb Williams
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky appeared on an episode of “Get Up” on ESPN this week, when the discussion turned to Johnson’s comments about his desire for the best scoring offense in league history.
Orlovsky took this time to issue his warning to Chicago’s sideline boss.
“I think the Caleb Williams conversation is so fascinating because he’s so talented, but we’re all like, ‘Be more efficient.’ And I don’t want him to become so obsessed with efficiency that we handcuff the talent. I took you at no. 1 because you have things I cannot coach in you. And that is a line Ben Johnson has to walk,” Orlovsky said.
Williams had a pretty decent 2025 campaign, helping the Bears win the NFC North for the first time since 2018. He threw 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and came just shy of recording the first 4000-yard passing season in Chicago history.
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As a whole, Chicago’s offense was one of the best in the league. They had the ninth-highest offensive impact in the league, according to PFN’s NFL Offense Impact Rankings. They especially shined in the run game, recording the league’s fifth-highest rushing offensive impact.
Chicago squared off with the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last year. Williams led an incredible fourth-quarter comeback to take down their vaunted division rivals. In the NFC Divisional Round, though, Chicago lost in overtime to the Los Angeles Rams.
The NFC North is certainly not going to be an easier division in 2026. Chicago, Green Bay, the Detroit Lions, and the Minnesota Vikings all have a realistic shot at the division title. If Johnson has his way, though, the North will continue to run through the Windy City.
