Caleb Williams promises no 'Cardiac Bears' in Year 2 under Ben Johnson: 'Hopefully not as much of a heart race

Good news, Chicago Bears fans, your heart is going to have a much better time watching games in 2026. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams believes the team’s offense will be much improved in Year 2 under Ben Johnson, telling fans they won’t experience “as much of a heart race” this time around.

Williams made those comments during an interview with Kay Adams. During that interview, Williams was asked about comments he made where he said he was “having more fun” this offseason. Williams explained that’s because everything feels more natural in Year 2 under Johnson.

“It’s gonna be really exciting. It’s gonna be really fun to watch. It’s going to be more entertaining than last year. Hopefully not as much of a heart race. It’s gonna be a little more entertaining throughout the whole game.

“You can feel it. You can see it. The confidence … It’s all three [phases] combined.”

While the Bears turned in a fantastic season in 2025, they weren’t always the best watch. Too often, the team’s offense would struggle early in games, leading to situations late when Williams would have to make spectacular plays to win. More often than not, he was able to pull those off, sending Bears fans into elation … but only after a lot of stress.

This season, Williams is hoping to avoid those early struggles. And it sounds like that should be easier now that everyone is more familiar with Johnson’s offense and general approach to coaching.

In Year 1 under Johnson, Williams faced a ton of criticism during training camp, as the Bears’ offense struggled to pick up Johnson’s complex offense. Even early in the regular season, the Bears hurt themselves with delay of game penalties, a sign the team was still trying to digest the new system.

Those issues got cleaned up as the year went on, though the Bears were still prone to some sluggish starts on offense. During both of the team’s playoff games, the Bears needed late heroics by Williams to remain competitive.

If Williams and the Bears can iron out those issues, it would go a long way toward the team solidifying itself as one of the best in the NFC. For as much success as the Bears experienced last season, the team was also lucky to be bailed out by Williams over and over again.

Betting on that to happen two years in a row is not sustainable, or smart. But if the team can look strong from the jump and prevent situations where Williams has to play hero ball in the fourth quarter, it would go a long way toward the Bears becoming legitimate Super Bowl contenders for the first time in a long time.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →