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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson responded to recent comments Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen made about the Jags' lack of media attention compared to a rising star like Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Coen, appearing on the 1010XL radio show "The Drill," indicated that with less talk about the Jaguars, they "don't have to make up telling your players stuff" to motivate them.
"I look at the NFL website and see if there's anything on the Jaguars. I think I'll see 40 pictures of Caleb Williams and nothing on us. It's beautiful," Coen said while speaking with Dan Hicken and Jeff Prosser on "The Drill."
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At the Bears' training camp, Johnson was asked how he felt about what Coen said about Williams and the Bears.
"Well, we’re the number one regression candidate, so I think we’ve got plenty of motivation ourselves. We’ve talked about Caleb in the past. He’s used to handling a lot of attention, so I’m not worried about that," Johnson said.
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Many saw last season's run by the Bears as an exciting and unpredictable journey from a team that couldn't get into the playoffs to one that had a good shot at reaching the NFC Championship Game.
Williams emerged as a hero and superstar in Chicago, attracting even more media attention after previously struggling as a rookie. He's since graced the cover of the upcoming Madden NFL 27 video game, as the first-ever Bears player to do so, and has been ranked among the top 10 quarterbacks this season by many.
However, replicating or improving on last season's success could be a challenge, as the Chicago Bears still appear to have issues with their defense. Things worked out in their favor last season, but one has to wonder if division rivals such as the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings could get back ahead of the Bears.
So far, sportsbooks don't see the Bears replicating last season's success. According to Fox Sports, the Bears' wins total is set at 9.5, with the under currently favored. That would be a deviation from their 2025 campaign, as Chicago finished at 11-6, won the NFC North, and earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs bracket.
Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Jaguars are also looking to return to the postseason after a successful 2025-26 season. They finished 13-4 and won the AFC South over another strong contender in the Houston Texans.
However, they're still looking to make that leap from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender with their star quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. Sportsbooks currently have them favored to win more than 8.5 games, but nine wins doesn't always translate to a playoff appearance.
Johnson and Coen are heading into their sophomore seasons as head coaches of their respective squads. They'll both be facing pressure this season for repeat trips to the playoffs, or else the coaches and players will be under scrutiny for potential issues that led to their regression.
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