The Chicago Bears enter the 2026 NFL season carrying expectations they haven’t faced in years. After an outstanding first campaign under head coach Ben Johnson, Chicago captured the NFC North title and reached the Divisional Round before that playoff run ended against the Los Angeles Rams.
With quarterback Caleb Williams emerging as one of the league’s brightest young stars, the Bears have become one of the NFL’s most talked-about teams. Williams has been featured prominently throughout the offseason, drawing national attention as Chicago prepares for another season with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
That growing spotlight became part of an interesting discussion this week after Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen joked that motivating his own players is easy because all the attention seems to be focused on Williams and the Bears.
Ben Johnson responds to Liam Coen’s comments
Liam Coen joked that he barely sees anything about the Jacksonville Jaguars whenever he visits the NFL’s official platforms. “I look at the NFL website, and see if there’s anything on the Jaguars. I think I’ll see 40 pictures of Caleb Williams. And nothing on us! It’s beautiful.”
Ben Johnson was asked about those comments and responded with a surprising level of honesty. “Well, we’re the No. 1 regression candidate, so I think we’ve got plenty of motivation ourselves. We’ve talked about Caleb in the past. He’s used to handling a lot of attention, so I’m not worried about that.”
Rather than dismissing the criticism or the attention surrounding his quarterback, Johnson acknowledged that expectations have dramatically increased after Chicago’s breakout season.
Bears embracing Super Bowl expectations
Ben Johnson’s comments reflect the reality facing the Bears entering 2026. They’re no longer viewed as an up-and-coming team. After winning the NFC North and reaching the playoffs, the Bears are expected to contend for a Super Bowl, placing a different kind of pressure on Williams and the rest of the roster.
For Johnson, however, that pressure can be used as motivation. Instead of worrying about the spotlight surrounding his young quarterback, the Bears head coach believes the biggest challenge will be proving last season was only the beginning rather than a one-year breakthrough.
