Ben Johnson issues challenge to Caleb Williams, receivers after Bears' loss to Rams

On multiple occasions, second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said that "a miscommunication" with wide receiver D.J. Moore was to blame for the interception that Williams tossed midway through overtime of the club's 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs on Jan. 18.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson publicly challenged Williams and the team's receivers to improve their chemistry before the 2026 season gets underway. 

Bears must be better "catching the football" during 2026 season

"When I think about being fundamentally sound, we got to do a better job catching the football next year," Johnson explained, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. "I can tell you right now that'll be a point of emphasis for us when they come back in the springtime."

Some fans and analysts have criticized Moore for the effort he showed when he seemed to cut his route off short before Rams safety Kamren Curl recorded his key overtime interception. Curl later said that "there was a little bit of tell" regarding where Williams was going to throw the ball on that play. To his credit, Johnson accepted blame for the pick. 

"Here's what I'll say just off the cuff about that particular play -- if there was any sort of miscommunication, that's my problem," Johnson added during his comments. "That's no one else's but mine. I gotta do a better job coaching that up."

What Ben Johnson told Caleb Williams after brutal defeat

In his first season under Johnson, Williams recorded seven comeback wins after trailing in the fourth quarter of games from Week 1 through Chicago's wild-card playoff victory over the rival Green Bay Packers. On Wednesday, Johnson shared what he told Williams during their end-of-season chat. 

"Just my main message to him was he needs to get out of football for a little bit," Johnson said, according to Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "He’s done a phenomenal job in terms of staying focused all year long. He put a lot of time, a lot of effort. I thought he grew up as a professional. I thought his communication to the coaching staff grew. I thought his communication to his teammates grew. But we will certainly have a number of points of emphasis that he can dive into when he comes back this springtime." 

Johnson added that he is "Williams’ No. 1 believer." Williams won over many members of a fan base who may have been questioning in January 2025 if the first pick of the 2024 draft could be the Bears' long-term answer at the sport's most important position.