Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams praised their upcoming opponents, the New England Patriots. More specifically, Johnson and Williams shared strong comments about Patriots safety and former Bears team captain Kevin Byard III.
They also spoke candidly about QB Drake Maye.
Fittingly, Byard and Maye offered strong thoughts about Johnson, Williams, and the Bears ahead of their “Thursday Night Football” showdown.
Byard was in his second season with the Bears, who drafted Williams first overall in 2024.
“He has great intangibles as well,” Byard told reporters when asked what makes Williams special beyond his physical tools. “He’s a competitor. He wants to win. He wants to be one of the greatest quarterbacks to play this game. I love his mentality. I’m a huge fan of him, honestly.
“All the physical tools, it’s all there. But I just think the care, his willingness to go out there and fight every day for his teammates. So, I’m excited to play against him.”
Williams joked during his presser on Wednesday about Byard being older but still effective.
Byard commended Williams for improving his completion percentage and, more importantly, not hunting big plays at the expense of keeping the offense operating efficiently. Byard also knows the offense, but said that can only help so much.
“For us, it’s going to be a 60-minute mental fight on both sides of the ball,” Byard said. “I practiced against Ben Johnson’s offense. It’s really–you talk about scheme? And I know Ben, being Thursday night, he’s going to have some stuff up his sleeve. It’s a primetime game. He’s going to want to show off his expertise, I would say, on Thursday night.”
Johnson was likewise highly complimentary of Byard’s ability to impact games, even in his 11th NFL season.
Patriots Get Honest About Bears Before ‘Thursday Night Football’
Drake Maye, Kevin Byard Praise Bears Before ‘TNF’
Johnson noted Maye’s arm talent, while Williams noted he is closer to the Patriots than he is to the other 2024 QBs and that they attended many of the same camps as kids.
May was highly complimentary of Williams’ physical skills.
Maye offered lofty praise of the Bears’ offense, including noting his fandom of Case Keenum, who stepped in and led Chicago to victory in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He also noted his and Johnson’s shared North Carolina roots.
“Him in the pocket, I don’t know if I could do some of the things he can do. He’s special, and the way he can move, and kind of escape, and evade pressure, and throwing on the run is pretty cool to watch,” Maye told reporters on October 20 when asked what parts of Williams’ game he wishes he could add to his repertoire. “I don’t know if I’m that shifty in the pocket. He can do some cool things, and he’s got crazy arm talent, and it’s fun to watch.
“I don’t know if I’m that flexible to try some of those things. But I think the way he plays the game is cool, and I know he’s doing a great job, and I know that Chicago–he’s got the city.”
Maye and the Patriots beat Williams and the Bears in 2024.
That 19-3 New England victory prompted the Bears to fire then-offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who was in his first year on the job. That was the first real domino that led to the Bears hiring Johnson during the 2025 offseason.
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