Try as local shock jock radio in the city might, the Chicago Bears do not have a (backup) quarterback controversy. Or, at least, they don't have one worth seriously debating, based on head coach Ben Johnson's trolling of the situation during a dominant win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
Clearly tired of the noise based on nothing he has ever said in public, Johnson got ahead of all of it on Monday as he set up a big game against the rival Green Bay Packers. He confirmed that the definitive face of the franchise, Caleb Williams, will miss at least one more week while recovering from a hamstring strain, and that Tyson Bagent, who led the Bears in their win over the Jets, will once again start on the road in Green Bay. Case Keenum will again serve
as the backup.
No questions asked. No quarterback controversy. Johnson made it clear that his Bears fully back Bagent while the team's best player, Williams, finishes healing from a soft-tissue injury. Full stop.
Bears HC Ben Johnson told @JeffJoniak on @ESPN1000 that QB Tyson Bagent is expected to start Sunday at Green Bay against the Packers. pic.twitter.com/y5qfkuLT5F
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026
Bagent will officially become the 52nd Bears quarterback to start against the Packers in the history of the NFL's oldest rivalry. Some Bears quarterbacks, like Williams, have succeeded with this lofty assignment. Many more, largely thanks to the pre-Johnson Bears, have failed. We'll see how Bagent responds on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
When is Caleb Williams coming back to the Bears?
With confirmation that Williams will miss his third straight game this coming Sunday, we're starting to broach the original 3-4 recovery timeline for the quarterback's hamstring strain. So, I'd guess we'll see him start on the road against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6, albeit in a more limited caretaker role as the Bears ramp him up, before they unleash him fully against the New England Patriots in a Week 7 Thursday night game at home.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ben Johnson got ahead of the noise by already picking his Bears QB for Packers game
