Entering the 2025 season, there is an uneasy feeling for Chicago Bears as many want to be optimistic, but have been burned too many times by that feeling with a non-playoff team.
This year is certainly much different from what fans have come to know about the Bears. The new head coach, Ben Johnson, will be a big reason for that. The development work he's about to do with quarterback Caleb Williams could ultimately make or break the franchise.
That aspect of the storyline to the Bears' 2025 campaign is the main reason that it's realitively odd compared to other years.
Chicago actually has component coaching and a quarterback for once
Recent years were not so kind to the Bears during the Matt Eberflus years. The team never had a winning season in three years under Eberflus as the head coach.
There was dysfunction within the coaching staff, especially last year when there were three offensive play callers and two head coaches trying to navigate through Williams's rookie season. Another significant storyline from that dysfunction was revealed this offseason when it was reported that Williams was watching film by himself, which Eberflus subsequently shut down.
The biggest difference between this year and last year is that Johnson is changing the culture. There is a different mindset to this team as he is bringing a toughness to the Bears that hasn't been there over the last three years.
One big time is Johnson's attention to detail. Doing the small things right is more important to Johnson than doing the big things on a play.
Eberflus might have been a defensive-minded head coach, but all the time being spent on coaching Williams side by side is a big thing, too. Johnson is not afraid to get after Williams for making a mistake. That was something not heard of last year.
Read more: Bears make first massive roster move with release of playmaking receiver
Williams and Johnson feel like a better team together than in the past. There's hope for a winning season and a 4,000-yard passer for the first time in franchise history. That was never possible in the past before Johnson arrived.