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Fox Sports
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
HC Ben Johnson speaks on report of Caleb Williams not wanting Bears to draft him
Caleb Williams didn't want to become a member of the Chicago Bears ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, with a new book reporting that the quarterback and his family sought ways to avoid heading to the Windy City last offseason. However, new Bears' head coach Ben Johnson isn't too concerned about how Williams might have felt in the past. In an interview on "The Herd," Johnson, who was hired by Chicago in January after three seasons as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, suggested that whatever feelings Williams had about the Bears' organization in the past are water under the bridge. "I don't know what's been going on prior to him joining the organization, but he is very proud to be a Chicago Bear," Johnson said on Thursday. "That's what our conversations have included. He's really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025." The upcoming book "American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback" reported that Williams and his father, Carl, had fears about joining the Bears due to their lack of historical success at quarterback. Chicago remains the lone organization in the NFL that's yet to have a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards in a season. Additionally, quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields didn't get second contracts with the Bears after being drafted in the first round in the last 10 years. Williams might have been spooked by the same ghosts that haunted Bears quarterbacks of the past as a rookie, too. The highly-touted No. 1 overall pick had a respectable statline in 2024, completing 62.5% of his passes for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions to go with an 87.8 passer rating and 489 rushing yards. However, Williams was sacked a league-leading 68 times and Chicago's offense ranked last in total yards. It was also 28th in scoring. On top of Williams leading the league in sacks taken and quarterbacking one of the league's worst offenses, there was some turmoil behind the scenes. The Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron during their 10-game losing streak. As Chicago parted ways with both coaches during the year, Williams told his dad that he often watched film alone because no one instructed him what film to watch, according to reporting in "American Kings." The Bears tabbed Johnson as the guy to try and unlock Williams' potential as one of the top quarterback prospects in recent years. Prior to becoming the Bears head coach, Johnson became one of the top coaching commodities thanks to his impressive tenure with Detroit, where he oversaw an offense that ranked top-5 in both points scored per game and total yards per game in each of his three seasons. While there's a lot of potential in the Williams-Johnson partnership, there's obviously still the possibility that the Bears could fall short. Johnson is working with Williams on his mental state, to help with any issues he might have when the going gets tough. "You talk about fears and I don't see it quite the same way," Johnson said. "I see this as, 'What a great opportunity we have to do something that really has never been done.' There hasn't been a 4,000-yard passer here in this franchise and I think Caleb is going to be the first one, and one of many years, many seasons to come where he's able to accomplish that feat. I see a chance for greatness here for him. He's been communicated that way and he feels the same way. "There's no question we're going to face adversity," Johnson added. "We want to see growth from [lower] to here [higher] over the course of the season and it's not going to be linear growth. It's going to be a little bit of ups and downs and stair steps along the way, but we want to see from Game 1 to Game 17 that we're getting better as a whole. And that's not just him, that's us as a team as well. That's what makes coaching fun is when the hiccups occur, when the adversity strikes, how do we respond to it? That's when you find out who you are as a man." In order to help quell any fears Williams might have this season, the Bears bolstered the offense around Williams. They remade the interior of their offensive line, adding guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, along with center Drew Dalman. In the draft, they added tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III with their first two picks. As the team has improved around Williams, Johnson's gotten a chance to see what his quarterback can do over the last month or so in the offseason program. He's liked what he's seen so far, saying things have gone "really well" with Williams. When Colin Cowherd asked Johnson if there was any particular moment that's stood out to him during Williams' offseason, he couldn't pin it down to just one. "He's got such great God-given ability that we're trying to tap into. You see it every day right now. It's going to be more fun when we get the competitive nature of offense vs. defense in OTAs." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
New Bears coach Ben Johnson responds to report of Caleb Williams' Chicago fears
Ben Johnson isn't worried about Caleb Williams' prior Bears concerns. The new Chicago head coach joined Colin Cowherd's 'The Herd' on Thursday to discuss the upcoming season and his second-year quarterback's recently revealed apprehension about the franchise. 'I see a chance for greatness here for him,' Johnson said during the appearance. 'He's been communicative that way. He feels the same way. I don't know about what's gone on before I joined the organization, but he's very proud to be a Chicago Bear. That's what our conversations have included. 'He's really excited to get to work right now and be the best version of himself for 2025.' Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson walks the field during rookie minicamp at Halas Hall. David Banks-Imagn Images Johnson's comments came just hours after news broke that Williams' dad, Carl, didn't want him to get drafted to the Bears, saying 'Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,' as revealed in Seth Wickersham's new book 'American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback,' which is set to be published in September. His father reportedly went to 'great lengths' to try to get his son out of potentially getting picked by the Bears, ESPN reported on the book. 'I don't want my son playing for the Bears,' Williams told several agents in 2024, the book said. Johnson, who was the architect of one of the best offenses in the NFL as the Lions' offensive coordinator from 2022-24, doesn't appear to be fazed. Quarterback Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, at Lambeau Field on January 5, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Getty Images 'I see this as what a great opportunity that we have to do something that's never been done,' Johnson said on Cowherd's show. 'There hasn't been a 4,000-yard passer here in this franchise and I think Caleb's going to be the first one. One of many years to come where he's going to accomplish that feat.' The Johnson hire marks a new era for the Bears and Williams after Wickersham reported the QB was concerned about playing under former head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. 'Do I want to go there? I don't think I can do it with [Waldron],' Caleb wondered aloud to confidants. Both coaches were fired during Williams's rookie season. The Bears are looking to improve during Williams' sophomore season after going 5-12 and missing the postseason for the fourth straight year in 2024.
CBS News
15-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Veteran Chicago Police dispatcher is ready to hang up her headset after 40 years
CBS News Chicago often tells stories honoring our police officers and firefighters for saving lives, but rarely do we tell the stories of people who answer the call — the very first call. Debra White has been taking those first calls in Chicago for 40 years, and she is a hero every day in our community. When White first started working for the City of Chicago, the year was 1985. Ronald Reagan was just starting his second term as president, and Harold Washington was about halfway through his first term as Chicago mayor. If you tuned in to Channel 2 back then, you would have seen Bill Kurtis, Walter Jacobson, Don Craig, and the late Harry Porterfield on the anchor desk in the middle of a bustling newsroom, reporters breaking down the spectacle and gridlock of Council Wars at City Hall, and sports director and former Chicago Bear Johnny Morris talking about his old team as they inched closer to the Super Bowl. As for White, she was only 25 years old — and working at the old Chicago Police Headquarters at 1121 S. State St. as a police teletype operator. "It was the way to communicate various messages throughout the Police Department," White said. "It was what you currently call now your mobile, faxes, your emails. But we had to give information via teletype machine, ticker tapes." The teletypes were used to distribute such information as bulletins about suspects wanted in a crime. White became a call-taker for emergency police calls in 1990, and a dispatcher four years later. Forty years later, White is still answering the call — still as a police dispatcher with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. She explained the experience of picking up the phone in that role. "When the phone rings, it's automatically you answer it. You're ready. You're waiting," she said. "You could be calm, and you stay calm if there's a regular call, and your adrenaline can go up if it's of somebody screaming. So you hear somebody screaming, but you remain calm mentally, but emotionally it goes up and down with the callers." White said remaining calm is key, whether the situation involves somebody screaming or something mundane. "it's stressful, but you just have to remain calm," said White. "You think about the consequence. You're in the motion now. You're in the minute now." Dispatchers like White provide a calming voice, and a lifeline in a time of need, for the people in Chicago and our police officers. "Every call is different. Every job is different," White said. "It may have the same heading, but it has a different outcome." Nicknamed "Digital Deb" by her coworkers, White also prides herself on being the call center photographer. "She's our historian," said fellow dispatcher Minka Giles. "She keeps up with everything and everybody." "She's probably got 100,000 pictures," said dispatcher William Sonntag. White captures the memories as she works alongside those she calls family. "She's just an overall amazing person, just overall. She does so much for everyone," said Giles. "Everybody's just blessed to know her." "Every time I come to work, Deb reminds me how much I'm blessed to have this job and to be with her," said sontag. "She always helps me focus on happy things in life." And now after 40 years, White is ready to hang up her headset. "I wouldn't have wished another course in my life. I love the course I took — just very rewarding," she said. "It's a very rewarding situation to be able to help the unsung heroes behind the phone." As far as what White plans to do next once she retires, she said she hopes to travel, and stay off the phone. And as the aforementioned Mr. Porterfield would have said, police dispatcher Debra White is someone you should know. Adam Harrington contributed to this report.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grady Jarrett has already won over Chicago Bears fans
Grady Jarrett has officially been a Chicago Bear for a very short time, but he has already made thousands of new fans following his introductory press conference. The Bears formally introduced Jarrett on Wednesday, who signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal with $28.5 million guaranteed following his release from the Atlanta Falcons. Guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson were also introduced, after they were acquired via trade, as the new league year officially began. Jarrett was the star of the show, however, as he provided plenty of energy and excitement as he starts his new chapter with the Bears. "Being able to walk into a building that's associated with Walter pride I have in this place, I didn't really know it lived in me until I walked in the building," Jarrett said. "I'm so fired up." The former Pro Bowl defensive tackle had been a fixture on the Falcons for a decade, and now brings his leadership and impact to the Bears, who sorely need it. Once Jarrett began speaking, fans quickly fell head over heels for what he's going to bring to the Bears defense, and we gathered the best reactions. I'd run through a brick wall for this man — Sarah🐻⬇️ (@thechicagosares) March 12, 2025 Grady Jarrett might be my favorite Bear of all time. — RidingBikes (@ridingbikes22) March 12, 2025 Couldn't be happier he's here, holy moly this is gonna be fun — BuffLlama (@JayDizzyD) March 12, 2025 Yeah I fully believe this is going to be an excellent signing for the Bears. You can see his passion for the game. That leadership for the defense is going to be so important for the young guys. — Bearsszn (@bearssznn) March 12, 2025 Put that C on my boy jersey immediately — d. (@_312DARIUS) March 12, 2025 I've got a feeling that Grady Jarrett is gonna be a fan and media favorite around herehttps:// — Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) March 12, 2025 Wooooooo, Grady Jarrett definitely has *that* dawg in him. — Eli Ong (@ThePenOfEli) March 12, 2025 (5 minutes into Grady Jarrett's intro to Chicago press conference)He's already one of my favorite players on the team. — Nick Whalen (@_NickWhalen) March 12, 2025 Grady Jarrett got everyone in the Building ready to Run through a Wall 😭😂😭 — PAT THE DESIGNER (@PatTheDesigner) March 12, 2025 #DaBears — Mason West (@WestSportsPT) March 12, 2025 Hold on I might get a Grady jersey off this presser lol — Albaro (@martinez3594) March 12, 2025 Well... It's easy to confirm that Grady Jarrett is as advertised as a person. #Bears — Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) March 12, 2025 yeah grady jarrett jersey, loading…⏳ — alise (@ajdavis22800) March 12, 2025 New #Bears DT Grady Jarrett is going to be a fan favorite. His presser is awesome! — Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. (@wiltfongjr) March 12, 2025 Grady Jarrett is a ball of fire! — Greg Gabriel (@ggabefootball) March 12, 2025 Bears fans are going to buy a lot of Grady Jarrett jerseys. — Mark Carman (@thecarm) March 12, 2025 Well, it took about 5 seconds for Grady Jarrett to become one of my favorite players on this team. Love what he's saying in this introductory presser. — Greg Braggs Jr. (@GBraggsJr23) March 12, 2025 This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Grady Jarrett has already won over Chicago Bears fans
