Chicago's 2025 season ended with a close divisional round loss, but the bond between head coach Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams has become the foundation of the franchise. Johnson has declared himself the primary believer in Williams, expressing confidence that the young quarterback is a special talent. However, the coach has also challenged the team's receivers to improve their execution, specifically regarding catch reliability.
Johnson noted that catching the football will be a major point of emphasis in 2026 to fix a drop rate that held back the offense. General manager Ryan Poles echoed this, stating that while the roster shows great resilience, he would prefer more dominant wins over the heart-stopping finishes that earned them the nickname Cardiac Bears.
Devin Hester believes that the real turning point for the team was the hiring of Ben Johnson, whom he calls the missing piece Chicago has been searching for. In an exclusive interview with CardPlayer, Hester mentioned that he saw this potential even before the season started.
He praised Johnson's creative mind and strategic play-calling, noting that it is very rare for a coach to change an entire program's fortunes in just one year. Hester was particularly impressed by how Johnson turned the offense into a high-powered unit so quickly, a process he says typically takes several years for most organizations to accomplish.
Hester also spoke highly of Williams' individual performance, eventually comparing his playmaking style to that of Green Bay legend Brett Favre.
The success of the offense has made assistant coaches like Declan Doyle targets for other teams, with the Philadelphia Eagles reportedly requesting an interview for their open coordinator position. Under the collaboration of Johnson and Doyle, the Chicago offense finished the year as one of the most improved in the league, ranking near the top in points and yards.
Doyle has become a rising name in coaching circles after helping Williams and D'Andre Swift achieve career-best numbers.
While Johnson supports the professional growth of his staff, losing a key figure like Doyle would be another challenge for a coaching group that has already seen the departure of veteran assistants.
