Ben Johnson should prioritize Caleb Williams being Bears’ first 4,000-yard QB

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Caleb Williams has a chance to do something against the Detroit Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field that no Chicago Bears quarterback has ever accomplished in the team’s 106 years of existence.

Have a 4,000-yard passing season.

Williams, 24, has 3,730 passing yards this season and is 270 away from becoming the franchise’s first player to throw for 4,000 yards.

[READ: Why Ben Johnson, Bears pushing hard to beat Lions, earn No. 2 seed]

With the number well within striking distance, head coach Ben Johnson should do what it takes to put Williams in a position to reach that milestone.

“I think for me, it’d be cool just in the sense of, there’s never been one here,” Williams said. “I think I was brought here for those types of things and those types of moments, the things that haven’t been done here, to try and be able to accomplish. Like I’ve said before, the self goals and all of that always get swept under when you go for the team goals, and that’s winning ball games, so that’s first and foremost on my mind. That’s first and foremost for this team, because the most important thing is winning ball games and heading into the playoffs with some momentum and some good energy heading into the playoffs.”

It’s clear Williams values the 4,000-yard passing mark, and it was something the Bears’ quarterback mentioned was a personal goal back in July. But Johnson and Williams both prioritize the team’s well-being over personal accolades.

“If it were to happen, that’d be great,” Johnson said. “But he would agree with me when I say that our No. 1 objective is to win this ballgame. Whatever that takes, that’s our goal. We’ll see where it’s at at the end of the year. That’s a tertiary role, if you will.”

Johnson also mentioned that 4,000 is just “an arbitrary number” and noted that there are teams in the NFL that don’t have a 5,000-yard passer. The Bears’ head coach is right, only nine teams in the NFL have had quarterbacks throw for 5,000 yards.

But the Bears are the only team in the NFL that doesn’t have a 4,000-yard passer.

Back during OTAs in May, Johnson was asked for his opinion on the notion that “Chicago is the place quarterbacks go to die,” which was said by Carl Williams, Caleb’s father, in Seth Wickersham’s book “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback.”

Johnson started his answer with three simple words and spoke with a smile.

“I love it,” Johnson said. “I love it. I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative. That’s where great stories are written. So, we’re looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.”

That future for the Bears is here, and the narrative has changed for the 2025 team. The Bears have 11 wins and are the NFC North champs. For the first time since 2018, Chicago will host a playoff game at Soldier Field.

Sunday can also give Johnson another chapter to write about it. With Williams as the main character and doing something that no other Bears quarterback has: throw for 4,000 yards in a single season.

“I knew that coming here and like you said, that’s a goal of mine, is to be the top of them all,” Williams said. “I want to be the best quarterback not only for Chicago but in the league and that starts with consistency, that starts with me preparing the right way. It’s important to me. I don’t get up to be mediocre. I don’t get up to not come to work and be at my best and go on the football field and do what I do. I want to keep growing. I want to keep growing for myself. I want to keep growing for my legacy. But I also want to keep growing for this team.”

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