As Matt Eberflus returns to face Bears, Caleb Williams says their 'time together wasn't wasted'

Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune on Sep 17, 2025

Published in Football

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CHICAGO — Matt Eberflus first caught Ben Johnson’s attention in 2018.

When the Miami Dolphins, for whom Johnson was the wide receivers coach, played against Eberflus’ Indianapolis Colts defense, it was apparent how hard Eberflus’ defenders rallied to the football. A year later Johnson joined the Detroit Lions staff and later found himself coaching against Eberflus twice a year when the Chicago Bears hired Eberflus as head coach in 2022.

“Make no mistake about it, it was one of the more challenging defenses we faced when I was in Detroit,” Johnson said Wednesday. “We’d struggle to run the ball at times. Really good red-zone defense.”

During his introductory news conference as Bears head coach in January at Halas Hall, Johnson had high praise for the defense Eberflus built. He said those Bears defenses kept him up at night, even with all of the offensive weapons at his disposal in Detroit.

Say what you want about Eberflus as a head coach (his Bears teams went 14-32), but his defenses kept them in games. In 2023 they had the league’s best run defense and the top interception rate.

Eberflus returns to Soldier Field on Sunday for the first time since the Bears fired him Nov. 29. He’s the defensive coordinator under Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, resuming a title he held in Indianapolis from 2018-21 and returning to the team for whom he coached linebackers from 2011-17.

Last week, Eberflus’ Cowboys defense gave up three consecutive touchdown drives in the fourth quarter of a 40-37 overtime win over the New York Giants. The Cowboys still are adjusting to the trade of All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers a week before the season.

If any coach knows how to attack Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, it would be Eberflus. Williams said Wednesday he remains grateful to Eberflus for believing in him when the Bears had the No. 1 draft pick in 2024.

“It was good, obviously, being able to become a Chicago Bear,” Williams said. “He made that decision and obviously everybody else (in the front office) was in here and being able to make that decision, making me a Chicago Bear.

“So happy to be here and our time together wasn’t wasted. Obviously we didn’t win as much as we wanted, but we’re past that.”

Ben Johnson not worried about Tom Brady’s production meetings

Tom Brady has been in the news the last two days after the “Monday Night Football” broadcast showed him in the Las Vegas Raiders coaches booth wearing a headset.

Brady is a minority owner of the Raiders, and he’s also the game analyst for Fox Sports’ lead broadcast crew. It’s pertinent in Chicago this week because Brady will be on the Bears-Cowboys call for Fox on Sunday, and then his Raiders take on the Bears the next week.

There has been plenty of dialogue about the potential conflict of interest posed by Brady’s dual roles after clips of Brady in the Raiders coaching box went viral.

The league placed some restrictions on Brady last year but eased them slightly this season, allowing Brady to attend virtual production meetings. He typically meets with coaches and top players from both teams ahead of his weekly game on Fox. Brady is not allowed to visit team facilities or watch practices.

An NFL spokesperson said this week that Brady did not break any league rules by sitting in the coaches box for the Raiders.

Johnson — who some thought was a candidate for the Raiders job in January — said he’s “really not worried about” Brady’s presence in production meetings ahead of the Bears-Cowboys game. He has no intention of spilling the beans with Brady and pointed out that Brady can watch the same game film as any of the Raiders coaches.

“I’ve been careful with everything I’ve said since the season started,” Johnson said. “I’ve been in pure coach-speak mode. So to me, it’s just business as usual. I like Tom, and we have a really good relationship.”

Injury updates: No decision on Jaylon Johnson

Cornerback Jaylon Johnson said on his weekly radio appearance Monday that his injured groin could require season-ending surgery. Asked about it Wednesday, Ben Johnson said the Bears still haven’t made a decision on the Pro Bowl cornerback.

Ben Johnson more or less ruled out Jaylon Johnson for this week, but anything beyond that remains unclear.

“The extent (of the injury), I don’t know,” Ben Johnson said. “I don’t see him being out there here this week, and hopefully we’ll have some clarity here in the near future.”

Jaylon Johnson did not practice Wednesday. Cornerbacks Kyler Gordon (hamstring) and Jaylon Jones (hamstring), linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (knee) also sat out.

Running back D’Andre Swift (quadriceps), wide receiver Jahdae Walker (ankle), offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (elbow) and linebacker D’Marco Jackson (hamstring) were limited participants.