Bears' Ben Johnson Names QB1 for Packers Rivalry Game Amid Caleb Williams Injury

Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson wasted little time in naming Tyson Bagent the team's starting quarterback for its Week 5 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Bagent went 25-of-34 for 268 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception in a 23-12 win over the New York Jets in Week 4. That came after veteran Case Keenum went 24-of-34 for 247 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in a 27-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 after Bagent was in concussion protocol.

Williams has been sidelined since he was carted off the field during Chicago's Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported on Sept. 27 the setback was a Grade 2 hamstring injury that doctors estimated would sideline the quarterback for three to four weeks. They also noted "Williams likely felt scar tissue breaking up from a past hamstring injury, a phenomenon that can be quite painful to experience but doesn't lead to long-term damage."

While it wasn't the season-ending setback the Bears surely feared as their franchise quarterback was being carted off the field with a towel draped over his head, it was still a significant setback for a team that entered the season with realistic playoff expectations as the reigning NFC North champions.

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Williams threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions during the 2025 campaign and seemed to pick up where he left off with four total touchdowns in the season-opening win over the Carolina Panthers.

However, he struggled in rainy conditions against the Vikings even before the injury.

With Keenum and Bagent, though, Chicago has won each of its past two games to improve to 3-1 on the season. Now, it will be up to Bagent to try to extend the winning streak to three games as the Bears try to keep pace with the Vikings in the NFC North.