Pressure has continued to mount on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as Week 1 approaches. Ben Johnson's Chicago debut is going to come on the national stage on Monday Night Football against a division rival. If there was ever a time for Williams to put up a statement game, it is this week against the Vikings. The first factor in this is that the starter had an extremely unflattering report emerge this week that painted Williams as incapable of running an offense and openly disrespectful of the coaching staff.
Taking this a step further, it seemed to suggest that Ben Johnson wasn't going to be enough to save a quarterback who needed grade school cadence to run the offense. Regardless of the truth, it isn't shining the best of light on the franchise quarterback. Add in the fact that you've been celebrated due to the addition of Johnson, and this isn't a game you can afford to drop.
Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams Facing Immense Pressure to Deliver in Monday Night Showdown
Williams is also dealing with the fact that he is going against J.J. McCarthy in his debut after missing the entire 2024 season due to injury. Getting beaten by McCarthy simply isn't an option if you don't want to invite a stream of hot takes and instantly turn up the pressure on the 2025 season. Chicago needs this game, and it needs Williams to look the part of a franchise quarterback.
Struggling under Johnson is going to invite a lot of questions about whether or not the Bears made the right call selecting the signal caller first overall. Already, fans have watched as Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels have led their respective teams to the playoffs. While it is important to note that both of these rookies had far superior coaching and casts around them, it still doesn't take away the pressure on Williams.
This is Week 1, and already you have reports emerging about concerning 2024 decisions and are faced with a showdown of another quarterback from your class. Beating McCarthy and getting an early divisional win is vital for the Bears to set the tone and for Williams to settle into a new offense.
A loss is going to put Williams firmly in the crosshairs of both local and national media, inviting debate about whether or not the Bears could make a change. While this might seem extreme, it is the reality of a position that is expected to instantly work. There is no longer 2-3 years of development time. One rough season is enough to have fans and pundits questioning your future.
Even as talented as Williams is, the quarterback needs to begin to consistently get results, and that starts Monday night in Chicago. Beating McCarthy and putting together a solid debut is going to quiet the noise around the quarterback and invite a level of positivity in what Johnson has brought to the roster. No question, Williams must get off to a great 2025 start.