Caleb Williams had doubts about coming to the Bears when he was the hottest quarterback in the 2024 draft, and as his rookie season came to its dreary end after a series of firings and defeats, it seemed he was right to be worried.
A year later, even after a crushing 20-17 overtime loss to the Rams on Sunday in the divisional round of the playoffs, the vibe was sharply different. Locker cleanout day at Halas Hall on Monday was far less depressing than usual, and the outlook going forward was bright and ambitious.
Everything has changed for Williams after a season under coach Ben Johnson and the thrill of the Bears skyrocketing from the bottom of the NFC North to a division title and a playoff victory over the Packers. His mind already is spinning with possibilities. A taste of success, both in his individual improvement and as part of a team making a playoff push, has made him hungrier.
“You see what championship level is,” Williams said. “You see what you have to do, you figure it out, and when you get knocked down, you get back up. That’s what we’re going to do.
“We never stay down. We keep fighting. Bringing that mentality to next year and then finding ways to bring that hunger for all four quarters and every single game is going to be important.”
Williams admits he has substantial work ahead, but the Bears have their franchise QB. Although he was up and down throughout the season, he showed meaningful improvement and made epic plays in decisive moments.
The lasting image from the loss to the Rams won’t be his interception in overtime. It’ll be the improbable fourth-down heave — “ridiculous,” as Johnson put it — to tight end Cole Kmet for the tying touchdown with 18 seconds left in regulation. From the 14-yard line, Williams was in trouble on the snap as the Rams’ pressure came quickly. With his back to the play, he scrambled all the way back to the 40, then turned and launched a dime off his back foot as he took a hit.
Soldier Field went nuts. For years, the stadium had rumbled with boos and “fire so-and-so” chants. Williams turned up the voltage — his dream when the Bears selected him No. 1 overall.
Once it became clear that he wouldn’t be able to force his way away from the Bears in the draft, he pivoted from being deterred by their decades of misery to being energized by the chance to flip it. It was an incredible ride this season.
“That’s part of the reason why I said I could do it here — to bring life, to bring joy, to bring excitement of being a Chicago Bears fan,” he said. “It’s really cool, honestly . . . being able to have the city behind you. You lose that game, and you’re walking out, and the fans stand up and cheer and roar in a tough moment. It goes a long way.”
Most of the credit for Williams’ progress goes to his relationship with Johnson, whom he said has had “unparalleled” impact. There’s still a lot to do to sync their vision; Williams said he’ll prioritize throwing accuracy and footwork in the offseason.
But the strides this season were undeniable. In addition to setting a franchise record with 3,942 passing yards, Williams threw more touchdown passes and took fewer sacks than he did as a rookie. He made unforgettable throws, including some near-perfect ones to beat the Packers in the regular season and in the wild-card round. He grew up a little.
The fact there’s so much left to accomplish, both for him and the Bears, only fuels him.
