The budding rivalry between Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy has been highly anticipated since the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings reset at quarterback with first-round selections in the 2024 draft.
Drafted No. 1 overall, Williams was a Day 1 starter in Chicago while McCarthy, selected 10th overall, missed his rookie year due to a meniscus injury he suffered in the 2024 preseason.
The two first-rounders approach their first-ever meeting on primetime Monday Night Football for a Week 1 matchup that will set the stage for what could be a storied rivalry in the NFC North.
Williams addressed the upcoming matchup in his Wednesday news conference, admitting he is not particularly familiar with McCarthy and that the rivalry is to be determined.
"I don't necessarily know McCarthy... but I know he's a competitor," Williams said. He's won some games at the college level and won a national championship. He's a competitor.
"The rivalry part of it, we'll have to see."
Williams, 23, is coming off an impressive rookie campaign that saw him throw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions while enduring the firings of his head coach and offensive coordinator.
Under Ben Johnson, Williams is expected to have the security of playing in the confines of a system that should benefit him after he took a league-leading 68 sacks a season ago. The arrival of Johnson and an improved offensive front should help Chicago's chances of improving on its 5-12 record from last season.
Meanwhile, McCarthy has not seen much live action but inherits an offense that helped Sam Darnold win 14 games en route to his first Pro Bowl.
The tutelage of reigning Coach of the Year Kevin O'Connell is sure to aid McCarthy's first year as a starter, which is sure to see some growing pains from the 22-year-old signal caller.
According to most major sportsbooks, the Vikings are 1.5-point road favorites.
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