Caleb Williams a perfect fit for Bears, says CB Jaylon Johnson

When the Chicago Bears were vetting quarterback Caleb Williams throughout the pre-draft process, it's more than his on-field abilities that stood out to general manager Ryan Poles and Co. Assessing whether or not a prospect can handle the big and bright lights of Chicago and the tough media landscape that comes with it is crucial to the process. Williams has thus far passed all tests with flying colors.

Back in March before the Bears officially made Williams their selection at No. 1 overall, superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson made a comment in an interview about Williams' “Hollywood stuff” not mattering in the NFL. Williams, of course, had developed quite the reputation at USC.

“It’s tough for me because even when I did say that, I was never accusing him of being that type of guy,” Johnson said regarding his “Hollywood” comment in an interview with Jim Rome earlier this week. “I think more so … [the interview] got taken out of context. But I feel like even with it being reality, now having him in our locker room and in our building, he’s not like that. I think it’s something that the media and that certain people put on him from the outside looking in."

\x3Cp>Back in March before the Bears officially made Williams their selection at No. 1 overall, superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson made a comment in an interview about Williams' “\x3Ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jaylon-johnson-caleb-williams-has-to-prove-himself-we-have-to-learn-who-he-is\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hollywood stuff\x3C/a>” not mattering in the NFL. Williams, of course, had developed quite the reputation at USC.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“It’s tough for me because even when I did say that, I was never accusing him of being that type of guy,” Johnson said regarding his “Hollywood” comment in an interview with \x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/jimrome/status/1811149647727222816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jim Rome\x3C/a> earlier this week. “I think more so … [the interview] got taken out of context. But I feel like even with it being reality, now having him in our locker room and in our building, he’s not like that. I think it’s something that the media and that certain people put on him from the outside looking in.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote class='twitter-tweet\">\x3Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jaylon Johnson: Caleb Williams fits in perfectly with Bears and Chicago. \x3Ca href=\"https://t.co/8j218HMwVa\">https://t.co/8j218HMwVa\x3C/a>\x3C/p>— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1811395893905838081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 11, 2024\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>\"But actually being around him, talking to him, seeing him with his family and different things like that, talking to the rookies — I mean, he’s not like that. So I think for me, it’s kind of a weird situation to be able to see him in person and kind of think like, ‘What was everybody talking about? What were the issues, the concerns?’”\x3C/p>\x3Cp>So even though Williams played his college ball on the west coast in Los Angeles, Johnson now believes his franchise quarterback possesses the right kind of mentality to represent Chicago.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“He fits in perfectly,” Johnson said. “He comes into work. I feel like coming to the Bears and the city of Chicago, things that we’re kind of fighting against — it’s really just a hard-nosed city. I mean, the fans are hard-nosed, our team is hard-nosed and has kind of been built on that. And I think he’s coming in and fitting in perfectly.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>",excerpt:"Caleb Williams is the perfect on-field and off-field fit for the Chicago Bears",featured_image_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/caleb-williams-jim-mcmahon-2-original.jpg",photo_credit:"Photo by Rena Laverty/UPI",status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Justin Melo",author_email:"justin.m.melo@gmail.com",author_avatar_url:null,category_names:$R[14]=["News"],tags:$R[15]=["caleb-williams","chicago-bears","jaylon-johnson","news","nfl"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null,linkedContent:"\x3Cp id=\"isPasted\">When the Chicago Bears were vetting quarterback \x3Ca href=\"/player/caleb-williams\" class=\"player-link\" data-player=\"caleb-williams\">Caleb Williams\x3C/a> throughout the pre-draft process, it's more than his on-field abilities that stood out to general manager Ryan Poles and Co. Assessing whether or not a prospect can handle the big and bright lights of Chicago and the tough media landscape that comes with it is crucial to the process. Williams has thus far passed all tests with flying colors.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>Back in March before the Bears officially made Williams their selection at No. 1 overall, superstar cornerback \x3Ca href=\"/player/jaylon-johnson\" class=\"player-link\" data-player=\"jaylon-johnson\">Jaylon Johnson\x3C/a> made a comment in an interview about Williams' “\x3Ca href=\"https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/jaylon-johnson-caleb-williams-has-to-prove-himself-we-have-to-learn-who-he-is\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hollywood stuff\x3C/a>” not mattering in the NFL. Williams, of course, had developed quite the reputation at USC.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“It’s tough for me because even when I did say that, I was never accusing him of being that type of guy,” Johnson said regarding his “Hollywood” comment in an interview with \x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/jimrome/status/1811149647727222816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jim Rome\x3C/a> earlier this week. “I think more so … [the interview] got taken out of context. But I feel like even with it being reality, now having him in our locker room and in our building, he’s not like that. I think it’s something that the media and that certain people put on him from the outside looking in.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cblockquote class='twitter-tweet\">\x3Cp lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jaylon Johnson: Caleb Williams fits in perfectly with Bears and Chicago. \x3Ca href=\"https://t.co/8j218HMwVa\">https://t.co/8j218HMwVa\x3C/a>\x3C/p>— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) \x3Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1811395893905838081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 11, 2024\x3C/a>\x3C/blockquote>\x3Cp>\"But actually being around him, talking to him, seeing him with his family and different things like that, talking to the rookies — I mean, he’s not like that. So I think for me, it’s kind of a weird situation to be able to see him in person and kind of think like, ‘What was everybody talking about? What were the issues, the concerns?’”\x3C/p>\x3Cp>So even though Williams played his college ball on the west coast in Los Angeles, Johnson now believes his franchise quarterback possesses the right kind of mentality to represent Chicago.\x3C/p>\x3Cp>“He fits in perfectly,” Johnson said. “He comes into work. I feel like coming to the Bears and the city of Chicago, things that we’re kind of fighting against — it’s really just a hard-nosed city. I mean, the fans are hard-nosed, our team is hard-nosed and has kind of been built on that. And I think he’s coming in and fitting in perfectly.\"\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>\x3Cp>\x3Cbr>\x3C/br>\x3C/p>",related:$R[16]=[$R[17]={id:"fb3825c4-bbe1-497c-8977-d659316aef64",wp_post_id:11192,title:"Chicago Bears Get Sneaky Advantage Before 2026 NFL Schedule Release",slug:"chicago-bears-get-sneaky-advantage-before-2026-nfl-schedule-release",wp_link:"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/13/chicago-bears-get-sneaky-advantage-before-2026-nfl-schedule-release/",url_date_path:"2026/05/13",published_at:"2026-05-13T14:35:42+00:00",updated_at:"2026-05-13T14:35:45+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears may have caught a major break before the 2026 NFL schedule is even officially released.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054563871692669028?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to ESPN's Adam Schefter\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>, the Bears rank 30th in total projected air miles traveled for the 2026 season. Only two teams are expected to travel less.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>That’s a significant advantage in a league where fatigue, recovery, and routine matter more than ever.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The NFL schedule can quietly shape a season, and fewer travel miles often mean fewer disruptions throughout the year. Less time spent on airplanes leads to more time recovering, more consistent weekly preparation, and a smaller physical toll over a grueling 17-game season.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:embed {\"url\":\"https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054563871692669028?s=20\",\"type\":\"rich\",\"providerNameSlug\":\"twitter\",\"responsive\":true} -->\n\x3Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\x3Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054563871692669028?s=20\n\x3C/div>\x3C/figure>\n\x3C!-- /wp:embed -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>For a Chicago team with championship expectations entering Year 2 under Ben Johnson, every edge matters.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The Bears already appear set up favorably from a logistics standpoint. They won’t have to deal with extensive cross-country travel or multiple long road swings that can wear teams down by December and January. That becomes especially important late in the season when injuries pile up and recovery windows shrink.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/13/chicago-bears-avoid-international-game-in-2026-nfl-season/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MORE: Chicago Bears Avoid International Game in 2026 NFL Season\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>It also helps that the Bears are not scheduled for an international game in 2026, avoiding the kind of travel chaos several other franchises will face.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>Travel distance alone won’t determine whether Chicago becomes a true NFC contender, but it’s one more factor working in their favor heading into a pivotal season for Caleb Williams and the rest of the roster.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>Sometimes, the smallest advantages make the biggest difference in January.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:block {\"ref\":9846} /-->",excerpt:"The Chicago Bears received favorable travel news for the 2026 NFL season after ranking near the bottom of the league in projected air miles traveled.",featured_image_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/chicago-bears-helmet-original.jpg",photo_credit:"Denny Medley-Imagn Images",status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_email:"bryanjperez@gmail.com",author_avatar_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bryan-Perez-Author-Image.png",category_names:$R[18]=["News"],tags:$R[19]=["featured"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null},$R[20]={id:"1ede1679-fa25-4201-b2d6-cd9099d08d7b",wp_post_id:11190,title:"Chicago Bears Avoid International Game in 2026 NFL Season",slug:"chicago-bears-avoid-international-game-in-2026-nfl-season",wp_link:"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/13/chicago-bears-avoid-international-game-in-2026-nfl-season/",url_date_path:"2026/05/13",published_at:"2026-05-13T13:41:45+00:00",updated_at:"2026-05-13T13:41:46+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The Chicago Bears officially avoided an international trip during the 2026 NFL season.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054548789336146141?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>, the NFL finalized its international game lineup, and the Bears were not among the teams selected to play overseas. That means Ben Johnson’s team will remain stateside for the entire regular season despite speculation earlier this offseason that Chicago could land one of the league’s European showcase games.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>For the Bears, that’s probably a good thing.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:embed {\"url\":\"https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054548789336146141?s=20\",\"type\":\"rich\",\"providerNameSlug\":\"twitter\",\"responsive\":true} -->\n\x3Cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\x3Cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/2054548789336146141?s=20\n\x3C/div>\x3C/figure>\n\x3C!-- /wp:embed -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>International games can create travel complications, disrupt weekly preparation routines, and lead to awkward scheduling stretches during the season. With expectations rising around quarterback Caleb Williams entering Year 3 and Johnson beginning his second year as head coach, avoiding an overseas trip removes one potential obstacle from Chicago’s 2026 campaign.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/07/chicago-bears-earn-top-10-ranking-for-2026-nfl-draft-class/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MORE: Chicago Bears Earn Top-10 Ranking for 2026 NFL Draft Class\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>There was some belief that the Bears could be a logical fit for the NFL’s Madrid game because Chicago holds international marketing rights in Spain through the league’s Global Markets Program. Instead, the NFL opted to leave the Bears off the international slate entirely.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>That decision should be welcomed inside Halas Hall.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The Bears already face a challenging 2026 schedule, and staying in the United States for every game gives Johnson one less variable to manage during a pivotal season for the franchise. It may not generate headlines like an overseas matchup would, but from a football standpoint, this is likely the best-case scenario for Chicago.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:block {\"ref\":9846} /-->",excerpt:"The Chicago Bears will not play an international game during the 2026 NFL season, avoiding overseas travel in Ben Johnson’s first year as head coach.",featured_image_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/dcd251102156_chi_vs_cin.jpg",photo_credit:"(Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire)",status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_email:"bryanjperez@gmail.com",author_avatar_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bryan-Perez-Author-Image.png",category_names:$R[21]=["News"],tags:$R[22]=["featured"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null},$R[23]={id:"96384f6e-5cd6-4c0c-b597-871cc6e3aacd",wp_post_id:11180,title:"Chicago Bears Earn Top-10 Ranking for 2026 NFL Draft Class",slug:"chicago-bears-earn-top-10-ranking-for-2026-nfl-draft-class",wp_link:"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/07/chicago-bears-earn-top-10-ranking-for-2026-nfl-draft-class/",url_date_path:"2026/05/07",published_at:"2026-05-07T14:55:03+00:00",updated_at:"2026-05-13T15:02:38+00:00",author_login:"bryanjperez",content:"\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>It’s still far too early to know how the Chicago Bears’ 2026 \x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://nfldraftbook.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NFL Draft\x3C/a>\x3C/strong> class will ultimately be remembered, but the early reviews from draft analysts continue trending in the right direction.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>The latest praise came from NFL Draft on SI analyst Justin Melo, \x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/onsi/news/ranking-the-best-nfl-draft-classes-from-best-to-worst-grades-predictions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">who ranked the Bears’ draft class No. 10 overall among all 32 NFL teams\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>“Nobody expected Dillon Thieneman to last until No. 25, and the Chicago Bears needed an instant-impact safety after losing Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker,” Melo wrote. “Second-round center Logan Jones is an excellent fit in Ben Johnson’s scheme as an athletic pivot. They arguably reached on Zavion Thomas, who may be a special-teams-only player, though he could develop into an elite returner. Sam Roush was the best blocking tight end in the class, and sixth-round linebacker Keyshaun Elliott has two-down starting potential.”\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>As has been the case since draft weekend, Thieneman remains the centerpiece of Chicago’s class. The former Oregon safety was widely viewed as one of the top defensive backs in the draft, and landing him at No. 25 overall continues to look like one of the better value picks of the first round.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:image {\"id\":11078,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n\x3Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\x3Cimg src=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cgv25091918088_rut_iowa.jpg\" alt=\"Logan Jones Chicago Bears\" class=\"wp-image-11078\"/>\x3Cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)\x3C/figcaption>\x3C/figure>\n\x3C!-- /wp:image -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:heading -->\n\x3Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-logan-jones-might-be-chicago-bears-most-important-rookie-in-2026\">\x3Cstrong>Logan Jones Might Be Chicago Bears' Most Important Rookie in 2026\x3C/strong>\x3C/h2>\n\x3C!-- /wp:heading -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>Still, there’s a strong argument that Logan Jones could end up being the Bears’ most important rookie in 2026.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>Chicago signed Garrett Bradbury after Drew Dalman’s unexpected retirement created a major void at center. But there are still legitimate questions about whether Bradbury is a long-term answer or simply a short-term stabilizer. If Bradbury struggles, the Bears may have little choice but to fast-track Jones into the lineup.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>\x3Cstrong>\x3Ca href=\"https://www.bearstalk.com/2026/05/03/chicago-bears-rookie-dillon-thieneman-among-top-selling-jerseys/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MORE: Chicago Bears Rookie Dillon Thieneman Among Top-Selling Jerseys\x3C/a>\x3C/strong>\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>That scenario might not be a bad thing.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:paragraph -->\n\x3Cp>Jones was viewed by many evaluators as the top center in the 2026 \x3Ca href=\"https://www.nfldraftbook.com\">NFL Draft\x3C/a>. His athletic profile and movement skills make him an especially clean fit in Ben Johnson’s offense. Several draft analysts even compared his game to Dalman’s, which could help ease concerns about whether Chicago’s offensive line can maintain continuity in front of Caleb Williams this season.\x3C/p>\n\x3C!-- /wp:paragraph -->\n\n\x3C!-- wp:block {\"ref\":9846} /-->",excerpt:"The Chicago Bears continue receiving strong reviews for their 2026 NFL Draft class, including a new top-10 ranking highlighted by Dillon Thieneman and Logan Jones.",featured_image_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Thieneman-NFL-Draft.webp",photo_credit:"Emilee Chinn/Getty Images",status:"published",created_at:"2026-06-23T13:24:34.381588+00:00",author_display_name:"Bryan Perez",author_email:"bryanjperez@gmail.com",author_avatar_url:"https://www.bearstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bryan-Perez-Author-Image.png",category_names:$R[24]=["News","NFL Draft"],tags:$R[25]=["dillon-thieneman","featured","garrett-bradbury","logan-jones"],meta_title:null,meta_description:null,og_image_url:null,canonical_url:null,focus_keyword:null,reading_time_minutes:null,is_draft:!1,scheduled_publish_at:null}]},ssr:!0}],lastMatchId:"$year$month$day$slug20240711chicago-bears-caleb-williams-perfect-fit"})($R["tsr"]);$_TSR.e();document.currentScript.remove()