One of the biggest criticisms of Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, even before landing in the NFL, had to do with how he carried himself in the moment.
When it comes to his body language on the field and sideline, Williams got plenty of negative flack. And, it seems as though head coach Ben Johnson agrees with the idea that it has to change.
Sports Illustrated's NFL insider, Albert Breer, recently touched on this notion.
"There were two areas where the coaches wanted improvement from Williams. Both related to how he carried himself as the quarterback, based on what the 2024 season showed. One was body language. The other was presnap procedure," Breer wrote.
Ben Johnson desires much more from Caleb Williams in terms of his on-field leadership
As much as Bears fans love Williams, it's hard not to agree with Breer. And, he even expounded on the topic, noting the coaches understood it was a difficult season. Still, there should be no excuse for Williams to handle himself more professionally:
"... while the coaches understood the beating he took, they showed film to emphasize how he’d been slow to pull himself up off the ground. It was a long year. People got fired in-season. And in adverse circumstances, the staff explained, having a quarterback who was rolling with the punches would go a long way."
This feels spot on. Williams flashed all the talent in the world, but let's be honest, there were absolutely some moments where he could have handled himself better. When things got tough, Williams wore it on his face.
Fortunately, criticism is nothing new for Williams, and there is reason to believe he'll silence it.
Under Johnson, Williams will be expected to conduct himself in a different manner. Not to say it's unacceptable to show frustration, but the frequency in which he did will need to be toned down.
It is no hyperbole to assume Johnson definitively agreed with Williams' worst critics on this topic. If he didn't, this wouldn't be a top-2 priority for Williams right off the bat.