Getty Former USC QB Caleb Williams.
New Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph spoke for the first time about his role with the team, and he had some interesting things to say about what he values in a signal-caller.
Joseph is spending his week down in Mobile, Alabama coaching the American squad in the upcoming Senior Bowl and he was asked what traits he looks for in a quarterback. His answer was quite telling.
“Arm talent, accuracy, you know. Delivery quickness, physicality, toughness, swagger. You got to have a little swag playing the quarterback position, and when I say that, I mean confidence,” Joseph said, via Nicholas Moreano of CHGO Sports. “You got to have confidence, and I like to say arrogance, but arrogance to me, all it’s is confidence under control.”
Joseph’s subsequent comments about the position also don’t appear to be a good thing for current Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
What Could Kerry Joseph’s Comments Mean for Bears QB Justin Fields?
#Bears QBs coach Kerry Joseph was asked what are some of the critical factors he looks for that predict success at the quarterback position.
Here is what he said.
“Arm talent, accuracy, you know. Delivery quickness, physicality, toughness, swagger. You got to have a little swag…
Joseph, who was officially hired on January 26, will either be trying to revive the three-year career of incumbent Fields, or he’ll be attempting to mold a rookie in what will likely be USC’s Caleb Williams.
The new Bears QBs coach noted he hasn’t had time to get to know Fields or get acclimated to Halas Hall just yet. He made no comments that were at all critical of Fields. Still, when asked what he emphasizes while teaching young quarterbacks, his answer included multiple weaknesses of Fields’ game.
“Decision, timing and accuracy,” Joseph said, via The Athletic. “Simple. Gotta make the right decisions, gotta be on time, gotta be accurate.”
Timing and decision-making have been two qualities Fields has been criticized for lacking since entering the league. The current Bears quarterback held onto the ball in the pocket longer than any other QB in the NFL (3.23 seconds) this season, according to Next Gen Stats.
With Williams being one of the more hyped QBs to come out over the last few years, many fans thought Joseph’s response pointed the arrow in the former USC standout’s favor.
“Yeah, he wants Caleb,” one commenter wrote.
@NicholasMoreano Yeah he wants Caleb 😂
“Only one man has all this,” another added.
Others just shared images of Williams in response:
@NicholasMoreano My guy just described…
Joseph isn’t about to name names when it comes to what the Bears aim to do at the quarterback position, but reading through the lines, the new Bears QBs coach touting the importance of arm talent does point more toward an affinity for Williams, whose arm elasticity has been praised by analysts heading into the draft.
A Bit of Background on New Bears QBs Coach Kerry Joseph
Fun fact about new Bears QBs coach Kerry Joseph: He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2007 and won a Grey Cup. In 2019, he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Plaza of Honour.
He’ll be coaching the QBs for the American team at the Senior Bowl next week.
Joseph played quarterback at McNeese State, an FCS school before landing with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He also played for the Seahawks as a safety for three seasons, giving him a unique perspective as a coach.
After his stint in the NFL, he headed to the Canadian Football League, where he resumed playing QB. He was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2007 while with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Joseph’s coaching career began as a training camp intern for the New Orleans Saints in 2014. In 2016, he landed at his alma mater McNeese State, where he served as co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two years. He also served as interim head coach at McNeese in 2018.
He headed to Southeastern Louisiana University in 2019, where he worked as RBs coach and passing game coordinator. Joseph moved on to Seattle after that, where he worked as an offensive assistant and assistant QBs coach from 2020 until the conclusion of the 2023 season. He got to know new Bears OC Shane Waldron while with the Seahawks and now, they’re reunited in Chicago.
Fun fact about new Bears QBs coach Kerry Joseph: He was the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2007 and won a Grey Cup. In 2019, he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Plaza of Honour.
He’ll be coaching the QBs for the American team at the Senior Bowl next week.