Former New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini has voiced concerns regarding the high expectations being set for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams by new head coach Ben Johnson. Following a 2024 season that saw the Bears finish with a 4-8 record and the mid-season firing of Matt Eberflus, the franchise brought in Johnson in January 2025. Under the new leadership, Williams guided the team to the playoffs, though they were ultimately eliminated in the divisional round by the Los Angeles Rams. During the 2024 campaign, Williams recorded 3,942 passing yards and 27 touchdowns.
Despite the quarterback's recent progress, Mangini argued on a recent episode of "First Things First" that setting aggressive goals for the 2026 season could prove counterproductive. Mangini noted that while Williams has remained humble despite his success, Johnson's public comments about achieving the "greatest offense" and consistently delivering blowouts and shutouts place unnecessary strain on the young signal-caller. Mangini stated that he believes this approach is not a positive path and could potentially hurt the quarterback's development.
In other team news, the Bears are currently managing the injury recovery of safety Coby Bryant, who suffered a knee injury earlier this month. Bryant faces a recovery timeline of four to six months and is expected to miss the first half of the upcoming season. Williams recently addressed Bryant's situation during a media availability session, explaining that he has reached out to his teammate to offer support. The quarterback described his approach as stoic, noting that he has kept communication light while ensuring Bryant knows he has his support as the team prepares for the season. The Chicago Bears are scheduled to kick off their season on September 13 against the Carolina Panthers.
So now he's had success, he still seems relatively humble."But the head coach says, 'We're gonna be the greatest offense that's ever played.
We're gonna score the most points since we've ever played.
