From the moment Ben Johnson walked into the building of Halas Hall, it was evident that he was going to change the culture of the Chicago Bears. Johnson's quarterback, Caleb Williams, is already turning into the model signal caller he wants.
Williams won his first NFC Offensive Player of the Week award after his 298-yard and four-touchdown performance in the Bears' 31-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. Many considered it to be the best game he has ever played in the NFL. He's the first Bears quarterback to win that honor since Justin Fields did it in 2022.
Johnson spoke with the media on Wednesday as he gave his flowers to Williams for the award. The story the first-year head coach shared with reporters regarding him trying to praise Williams in front of the team is the stuff of legends.
"I tried to recognize him in front of the group and he wasn't having it. Very stoic. He's already on to the next game. He knows he needs to have an even better performance here this week to give us the best chance to win."
Williams has officially blossomed into the franchise quarterback Chicago needed
Johnson had the same mentality on Sunday after the Bears beat the Cowboys, as he didn't crack a smile once. During his press conference, he wasn't in the mood to celebrate, as he had already moved on to the Week 4 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Seeing that rub off on Williams is incredible. It shows a different maturity level that wasn't evident last year in the young quarterback. Williams faced criticism for his body language when the Bears lost games, and people wanted to see him take a leadership role.
Even with the Bears starting 1-2 on the year, the changes have been noticeable for Williams, and it shows on the field. He's thrown for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns to one interception through three games. He's top 10 in the NFL in touchdowns, QBR, and passer rating.
Read more: Caleb Williams just accomplished something that no Bears QB has done in 3 years
All that tough coaching from Johnson in the offseason with Williams is starting to pay off in a big way. Bears fans are now looking forward to seeing those changes become consistent when the team takes the field against the Raiders on Sunday.