Caleb Williams flashes franchise QB leap as Chicago Bears belief surges

Caleb Williams’ first full season with the Chicago Bears did not follow a smooth arc, but the closing stretch reshaped how his year is remembered.

Chicago’s postseason ended painfully, yet the overall takeaway was positive, as Williams delivered strong performances when the stakes rose. One late interception decided a playoff game, though the buildup to that moment featured enough creativity and resilience to carry optimism deep into the offseason.

That confidence is no longer confined to Chicago. The official NFL X account highlighted Williams for producing the league’s top throw on four separate occasions, a rare nod that signaled league-wide buy-in. For a former No. 1 overall pick, those flashes reinforced why his ceiling still draws so much attention.

Williams’ production backed it up. He closed the regular season with 3,942 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, surpassing Erik Kramer’s 1995 franchise record of 3,838 yards in Week 18.

The Bears finished 11-6 and secured a playoff win in their first year paired with coach Ben Johnson, a result few expected entering the season. Chicago’s run ended with a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, but the season established a foundation rather than a finish line.

Around the league, early projections now place the Bears among popular picks to contend for the division, with Williams already surfacing in MVP conversations. The challenge ahead is managing expectations as momentum builds.

Williams, Bears look ahead with lessons learned

Chicago’s leadership stressed that progress, not carryover, defines the transition into the next season, though satisfaction was evident. “I’m Caleb Williams’ No. 1 believer,” Johnson said at Halas Hall. “I have a lot of faith in him and what he’s capable of doing and the player that he’s still striving to become.”

Johnson pointed to mechanical adjustments and growing command of the offense as meaningful developments.

“We revamped the footwork a little bit last spring,” he said. “He certainly got more comfortable with the concepts we were running over the course of the season. That’s something we can build upon.”

Williams echoed that focus, noting accuracy and footwork as offseason priorities while reviewing small technical details to improve consistency.

His playoff stat line reflected both promise and risk, four touchdowns against five interceptions across two games. The final turnover, intended for D.J. Moore and intercepted by Kam Curl, set up the Rams’ winning field goal. Earlier, he threw two interceptions in a 31-27 wild-card win over the Green Bay Packers.

History offers caution. Trevor Lawrence followed a breakout second season by missing the playoffs twice as expectations spiked.

Chicago faces a tougher slate ahead, including matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New England Patriots. For the Bears, the next step will determine whether this surge becomes an actual launch point.