The Chicago Bears knew the risk they were taking when they chose to trade Justin Fields in March of 2024. It was a clear signal they didn’t feel he had what it took to elevate this organization to success. GM Ryan Poles was ready to roll the dice on his own quarterback. He chose Caleb Williams #1 overall. It made sense. Many felt that the former Heisman winner had every tool imaginable to excel in the NFL. However, contrary to popular myth, locker rooms don’t instantly embrace new quarterbacks as their leaders.
More than a few veteran players were skeptical. Nobody could dispute the talent, but that alone doesn’t make a good quarterback. His rookie seasons proved it. Williams had flashes of brilliance, showcasing that ability. However, he also had too many games where he was completely ineffective, taking 68 sacks, and didn’t exhibit the maturity or body language of a leader. According to Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune, there’s been a shift inside the locker room following the last-second escape in Las Vegas that Williams engineered.
Inside Halas Hall, fingers are crossed that this is the beginning of something, that Williams’ calm confidence in the clutch can continue for as long as he is around. There’s no telling yet whether the Bears’ triumph over the Raiders two weeks ago was just another small flash, a tease of potential or the beginning of a program-changing trend. But there has been a swell of optimism surrounding this team’s grit as well as Williams’ ability to thrive in late-game pressure situations.
Nobody summed up those feelings better than Cole Kmet.
The veteran tight end has been part of the past several years of misery in Chicago. He was on the wrong end of games like that too many times. Seeing Williams pull them out of the fire was invigorating.
“I haven’t been part of a win like that since I’ve been here,” Kmet said. “In so many other scenarios, I feel like we’d get ourselves in that (game-on-the-line) situation and somehow lose. So it was cool to see us come through when we needed to.
“When it happens once, that belief is created. Then afterwards, you hope it spirals forward.”
“Late in the game, his arm talent shows up,” Kmet said. “His athletic ability comes through. And he just has a knack for finding a way to make plays.”
Caleb Williams has something few Bears quarterbacks ever have.
The last one who had a knack for pulling off late-game magic was Jay Cutler. He had 18 comebacks in the 4th quarter during his eight seasons with the Bears. Despite all the criticism he received, some of which was valid, the guy found ways to win games. Caleb Williams is the same way. While the Raiders game seems to have won several guys over, there were already growing signs before that. Williams broke the Green Bay Packers’ winning streak over the Bears in the season finale last year with a 4th quarter comeback. He should’ve done it twice if not for that blocked field goal in the first meeting. He forced overtime against Minnesota.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Williams isn’t just doing this against weak opponents. He’s done it to good teams, too. That feels like the biggest indicator that the team has something. There is still plenty of work to come. The offense must find consistency. It would be nice to avoid comeback situations as much as possible. Still, it’s encouraging to know the Bears have that club in their bag if needed.