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Courtney Cronin
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — New Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson said he looks at the franchise’s troubling track record of developing quarterbacks as an opportunity.
Excerpts from ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham’s book “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback” highlighted the struggles Caleb Williams experienced throughout his rookie season with the Bears and the trepidation that both the No. 1 pick and his father, Carl, shared about the organization.
Wickersham’s reporting revealed that Caleb Williams hoped to be drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and that Carl Williams did not want his son to be selected by the Bears because Chicago was where “quarterbacks go to die.”
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Johnson smiled Wednesday when asked about that statement.
“I love it,” he said. “I love the opportunity to come on in and change that narrative. That’s where great stories are written. So, we’re looking to write a new chapter here — 2025 Chicago Bears — and looking forward to the future.”
Johnson said he spoke with Williams last week after the excerpt came out and seemed eager to move past the issues from the quarterback’s rookie season.
“He’s his own man,” Johnson said. “He’s gonna be treated as such. I think we’re both really looking forward to turning the page on years prior and focusing on the here and now.”
Wickersham’s book also detailed the disconnect between Williams and former Bears offensive coordinator
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Stephen Holder
INDIANAPOLIS — Jim Irsay grew up in privilege, with his father, Bob, amassing a big enough fortune to acquire the Baltimore Colts in 1972, when the younger Irsay was 13.
But Irsay’s involvement with the team, which moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984, did not originate in the boardroom. He often told stories about doing menial jobs around the franchise, including picking up players’ jockstraps while cleaning the locker room. He later assisted in the ticket office, answering phones and handling assorted tasks.
Irsay’s time around the franchise, which later included working in the personnel department and serving as general manager, helped him learn the business of football and informed how he would govern himself when he became owner in Indianapolis following his father’s death in 1997.
Irsay died Wednesday at 65, bringing to the forefront what the next generation of Indianapolis Colts ownership will look like.
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Stephen Holder
When Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning parted with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013, he left behind a much different city than he found upon his arrival in 1998.
And even though the success of the former Colts great had much to do with reshaping the city into a sports hub and a town obsessed with football, Manning credited Jim Irsay as the biggest reason.
Irsay, the team’s owner since 1997, died Wednesday at 65. A day later, appearing on ESPN’s “NFL Live,” Manning recalled the evolution of Indianapolis under Irsay’s stewardship of the franchise.
“When I got there, Indiana basketball, [auto] racing, the Indy 500 — that was it,” Manning said. “I think football was the third sport. Maybe not. Golf might’ve been in there. And all of a sudden, because of the [commitment] Jim made to winning … he goes out and hires Bill Polian, who had rebuilt the Buffalo Bills, had started the Carolina Panthers as a new franchise, takes them to the NFC Championship [Game], then he drafts Edgerrin James, obviously re-signs Marvin Harrison, who’s already there. And next thing you know, the Colts all of a sudden, ‘Hey, the Colts are beating Miami, they’re beating Buffalo, they’re winning their division. And all of a sudden, hey, the Colts are for real.”
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That started a transformation of the city from a basketball town to one preoccupied with football.
“Right before your eyes, Indianapolis became the biggest football town. High school football goes up. Fans wear more jerseys to a Colts game than any other stadium out there. And that was [because of] Jim’s commitment. That was his commitment to the city that he was going to bring them a winner once he took over, and he did.”
The Colts, at odds with the city over a stadium lease agreement, flirted with the idea of moving the franchise in the early 2000s. A perennial loser that lacked fan support — the Colts notoriously struggled with television blackouts in the 1990s — might have been easier to let go of than a team with a reputation for winning consistently.
“There was all kinds of rumors about us maybe moving to Los Angeles or whatnot,” Manning said. “Jim always wanted to stay in Indianapolis, but he felt like, ‘Hey, we have this really good team. We’re fun to watch. Let’s get them a new stadium to play in.’ And the next thing you know, Lucas Oil Stadium is built.”
The Colts went on to win Super Bowl XLI after the 2006 season, further establishing them as a team to be reckoned with. Two years later, they christened their new stadium. That helped solidify downtown Indianapolis’ future as a destination for major sporting events like the Final Four and allowed the city to host its only Super Bowl in February 2012.
Of his relationship with Irsay, which was always impacted by Irsay’s difficult decision to release Manning in 2012, Manning said, “I’ll be indebted for what he did for me, giving me my start. And certainly, [we] parted ways. But five years later, after I retire, he dedicates a statue in my name and puts me in the Ring of Honor and insisted that I fly to Canton, Ohio on the Colts’ plane.”
Manning added, “He cared about his community, he cared about his family, but he loved the Colts, he loved the horseshoe as he called it, and I think that’s a great legacy.”
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Turron Davenport
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Titans quarterback Cam Ward has signed his rookie contract.
Ward represented himself in the negotiations for the deal, which is worth $48.7 million dollars over four years and fully guaranteed. Like all first-round picks, his contract also includes a fifth-year option.
The Titans selected Ward with the No.1 pick in the draft last month. Ward was on the field for rookie minicamp and OTAs despite not having a deal in place at the time. He has already established himself as a leader with the team.
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“It’s the leadership ability and the way he’s able to make those around him better.” Titans coach Brian Callahan has said of Ward. “The guys that transcend have a unique ability to connect with their teammates and then raise the level of everyone around them.”
Callahan is coming off a 3-14 finish in his first year as the Titans’ coach. Tennessee hopes Callahan’s previous experience working with quarterbacks will help Ward’s development. Since entering the NFL in 2010, Callahan has coached quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Derek Carr, and Joe Burrow.
Tennessee signed veteran free agent backups Kyle Allen and Tim Boyle in March. The Titans’ quarterback room currently consists of Ward, Allen, Boyle and Will Levis, who has two years left on his rookie contract after being selected with the 33rd pick in 2023.
Ward, who was a zero-star recruit out of high school and began his collegiate career at Incarnate Word, is the first No. 1 overall pick that played FCS football since 1979. His five-year college career included two seasons at Incarnate Word, two at Washington State and one at Miami. He set the career combined FCS (71) and FBS (87) record with 158 touchdown passes.