The Bears knew they had something special when they took Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in 2024. But his emergence as a field general in his second season has led to a remarkable resurgence in Chicago
By Ryan K Boman | The Sidearmer | Dec 29, 2025
Caleb Williams’ NFL career is still in its early stages, but it’s already been both dazzling and dominant thus far. The Chicago Bears quarterback has been a warrior on the field, as he and his team went into SundayNight Football facing fellow NFC powerhouse, the San Francisco 49ers.
While the ‘Niners ultimately gave the Monsters of the Midway a ‘thumbs-down’, handing them a 42-38 loss, Williams took the game down to near the goal line with four seconds remaining. His final pass fell incomplete, but he had the entire NFL world gasping for air when it was over.
Williams entered the league as one of the most anticipated quarterback prospects in recent memory. He was selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Da Bears, fulfilling huge expectations that came with winning the Heisman Trophy at the University of Southern California following his junior season.
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He took over as the Bears’ starting quarterback right from the beginning of his rookie season. The Chicago coaching staff had planned to give him the starting role as soon as he was drafted, and he became the QB1 on day one. Then, despite a year with some mistakes and missteps, he showed flashes of brilliance in his first year, throwing for over 3,500 yards.
WIN OR LOSE, He plays like a gridiron gladiator
It’s funny to look back at the star’s journey in the NFL and not have a little bit of a chuckle. Some scouts labelled him as selfish and an immediate bust. Meanwhile, critics laughably stated he lacked toughness, as if he were just some hotshot kid playing in the sunshine of SoCal who was a prima donna that had the red carpet rolled out for him.
In reality, Williams is none of those things. As the 2025 season has shown, he’s a combination of both skill and steel. He rarely gets rattled in the pocket, often creating something out of nothing with his legs or a late-developing pass play. Much like a Gladiator, his fame is well-deserved. He approaches the game like it’s a battle —and he’s the one leading the Bears brigade.
Caleb Williams mixes talent and An Iron Will
At this point in his career, Caleb Williams is still working to establish himself as a franchise cornerstone in the NFL. His raw talent and dynamic athletic profile continue to generate excitement, but like many top draft picks, he’s navigating the reality that transitioning college success to consistent elite performance in the pros takes time.
However, his pairing with first-year head coach Ben Johnson has accelerated that rise to greatness in year two. Particularly in decision-making and pocket presence, which will be big factors in shaping his NFL legacy.
“Everybody talks about the arm, talent, and ability to create,” Johnson told NBC Sports in late December. “What I’ve been blown away with is his competitive drive. He loves football. He wants to be great.”
Ryan K Boman is a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Love & Laughter. His previous work has appeared at The Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo! Sports, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, and Yardbarker
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