Caleb Williams had an up-and-down season in his first year with the Chicago Bears. The first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 62.5% of his pass attempts, adding 489 rushing yards on 81 carries.
While his numbers were decent, Chicago went 5-12 and finished last in the NFC North. Meanwhile, Williams took 68 sacks, which was tied for the third-most in NFL history. After starting the season 4-8, the Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus. They have since brought in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to serve as their head coach.
A report from Seth Wickersham of ESPN recently revealed that Williams told his father he would watch film alone without guidance from the coaching staff. Eberflus, who now serves as the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, denied those claims on Monday.
Matt Eberflus Denies Caleb Williams’ Shocking Claim About Watching Film Alone
NFL fans were shocked by Williams’ claim that he spent his rookie season watching film alone. While it is rare to see a coach fire back at remarks from a former player, Eberflus made it clear that he did not agree with the sentiment. ML Football shared comments from the former Bears coach, tweeting:
“NEWS: Matt Eberflus denies the claim that the #Bears coaches did not watch film with QB Caleb Williams. ‘In the development of the QB position, we always had daily, coached film sessions’ ‘That was all throughout the entire year. So, that’s what I observed. That’s where it was'”
NEWS: Matt Eberflus denies the claim that the #Bears coaches did not watch film with QB Caleb Williams.
“In the development of the QB position, we always had daily, coached film sessions”
“That was all throughout the entire year. So, that’s what I observed. That’s where it was” pic.twitter.com/smprq2FCnW
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 16, 2025
Williams said that he wanted to learn new ways to watch film more efficiently. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, according to the same article from Wickersham, has yet to address his former coach’s comments, which basically accused him of lying.
The Bears quarterback will look to lead the franchise to its first winning season since 2018. Chicago has retooled the roster around him, with a focus on improving the offensive line. Williams has shared high praise for Johnson, who is viewed as one of the brightest offensive minds in the league. The former Lions OC ran a tight ship, helping the team into the playoffs last season.