Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is about to step into uncharted territory in Week 3. Star quarterback Caleb Williams is out with a hamstring injury, forcing Johnson to coach his first game ever without a former No. 1 overall pick behind center. This is huge for how we view Johnson as an elite offensive mind.
No. 1 Picks: The Johnson Advantage?
For Johnson, it’s been a dream gig. He gets all the accolades as an elite NFL mind, and he’s had the luxury of working with some of the best quarterbacks in the league. Right now, it’s Caleb Williams, but he also coached up Jared Goff in Detroit. Former NFL signal-caller Chase Daniel pointed out a crazy stat: the Bears’ matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles will be the *first time* Johnson hasn’t had a No. 1 pick behind center at the start of a game, whether as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Think about that for a second.
Williams suffered a hamstring injury in Chicago’s tough 9-3 loss against the Minnesota Vikings. Good news: it doesn’t appear to be a season-ending blow. Bad news: he’s likely out for Week 3 on Monday Night Football. That leaves Chicago scrambling with veteran Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent, who is currently in concussion protocol. When Williams *has* played in Johnson’s system for just over a season, he’s put up over 4,300 yards and 29 passing touchdowns. Plus, his dual-threat ability completely opens up the playbook for Johnson. Without him, the Bears just don’t pose the same threat.
The Kyle Shanahan Standard
This is it. This is where we finally learn what caliber of coach Ben Johnson truly is. It’s not a knock on the guy; it’s just reality. We haven’t seen Johnson tested at the most important position in football because he’s been comfortable with top-tier talent like Goff and Williams, who are clearly among the league’s best QBs. But other top coaches don’t always get that luxury.
Just look at Kyle Shanahan, one of the best coaches in the league. The San Francisco 49ers head coach turned a seventh-round pick, Brock Purdy, into a bonafide All-Pro caliber player. That’s insane, especially since they drafted Purdy just one season after taking Trey Lance with the third pick in 2021. Purdy is completing over 80 percent of his passes in 2026 and has five passing touchdowns through two games, and everyone credits Shanahan’s elite play-calling for that growth.
So, in Week 3 against the Eagles, the NFL is watching. Can Ben Johnson adapt? Can he take Keenum or Bagent and still make that Bears offense hum? His reputation as an offensive mastermind is on the line, and what happens on Monday Night Football could tell us everything about his real genius.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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