Caleb
Williams

One of the best ways to see The Windy City is by water with a boat tour of the Chicago River or Lake Michigan. Williams, however, prefers to take in the sights on the ground and through the air. No matter which way he chooses, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is sure to make frequent trips to the end zone.

Teammates dubbed Caleb "Afterburner" for his calm under pressure after he led the Bears to a comeback win in the final two minutes of a 42-16 overtime victory against the Packers in Week 16. He tied Peyton Manning for the most comeback wins in a season by a player under 25 years old.

New Bears coach Ben Johnson knows he has a cheat code under center with the elusive Williams. "With him, it doesn't matter so much what the play call is," Johnson said. "If it's not, then he's able to play, then it's great, it's there, then he can make it work, find a way to make it work."

Defenders looking to bring down Williams in the backfield better make sure he doesn't see them coming. Shifty in the pocket with an uncanny ability to elude pressure, the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft routinely is able to extend plays by spinning out of sure sacks and outrunning pursuers to the sideline.

Williams set his sights high for 2025. "Being the first 4,400-yard passer in Bears history, that's a goal of mine," he said. "Seventy-percent completion, that helps the team, hears us on the field, puts us in better positions." Checking those boxes will have Chicago in contention for its first playoff appearance since 2020.

Showcasing an elite blend of arm strength and playmaking skills, Williams filled up the stat sheet with one of the top passing seasons in the Bears' long history. He threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns and compiled an NFL rookie-record stretch of 354 passes without an interception in 2024.

Caleb had his #19 jersey retired at USC less than a year after playing his final game for the school. He wants to leave a similar legacy in Chicago for a franchise that's started 43 different quarterbacks since winning Super Bowl XX. Williams is the type of playmaker who can change the team's fortunes.

Caleb torched the Cowboys on September 21, 2025, as the Bears prevailed 31-14 during their third game of the campaign. Williams booked a 142.6 passer rating thanks to a 19-of-28 passing performance, 298 aerial yards and four touchdown throws.

Playing mistake-free football and being a rookie quarterback rarely go hand in hand. Williams is a rare prospect, though. During his 2024 debut season, the first-year passer set an NFL rookie record by throwing 354 pass attempts between Week 6 and Week 18 without recording an interception.

In a quarterback class loaded with tremendous arm talent, Williams\' accuracy stands out. \"He just has more throws,\" said Phil Simms. \"He can throw the ball with power. He can throw it with touch. He can do all of those things that you want. He\'s even good on the run throwing the football.\"

Williams brings many thrilling elements to the Bears. One of them is his unscripted explosiveness. "That's what you watched at USC — his ability to evade, the arm talent," offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said, "where he's able to go out and really play and show the competitiveness that makes him who he is."

The Bears selected Caleb with the top overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping to secure a franchise quarterback to carry the team back to glory. After one season, that pursuit was looking encouraging. Williams established club rookie passing records for completions (351), yards (3,541) and touchdowns (20) in his first run through the league.

Williams set his sights high for 2025. Being the first 4,000 yard passer in Bears history that's a goal of mine," he said. "Seventy percent completion, what helps the team keeps us on the field, puts us in better positions." Checking those boxes will have Chicago in contention for its first playoff appearance since 2020.

Teammates dubbed Caleb "Kincman" for his calm under pressure after he made a habit of leading comebacks in 2025. When Williams spurred the Bears back from a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes of a 42-16 overtime victory against the packers in Week 16, he did so at 25 years old.

While Williams loves the opportunity to light up foes through the air, he won't hesitate to use his legs when needed. The savvy Bears quarterback goes through his reads, recognizes his receivers are covered and then tucks the ball under his arm before scrambling for a chain-moving gain.

It didn't take Williams long to start breaking records in the Windy City. In Week 3 of his 2024 debut, the No. 1 overall pick racked up 363 passing yards against Indianapolis to set the Bears' single-game rookie record. He completed 33 of his 52 passes and chucked touchdowns to Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet.

Williams excels at making off-platform throws. That trait played a key role in Chicago's decision to take him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. When plays break down, the signal-caller simply rolls out or the packer and delivers dimes on the run that find his receivers in stride.

Shane Waldron was impressed with the way Williams scanned the field from the pocket during camp. "He's been doing a great job reading with his feet, sticking within progressions, recognizing coverage structures," the Bears offensive coordinator said. "All those things are what really give you confidence moving forward."

The 2024 NFL Draft took place in Detroit and, predictably, a massive army of Lions fans attended. On the first pick of the night, however, those Motor City supporters had to watch a division rival secure its future. Any Bears fans who made the trip celebrated the selection of Williams.

Williams has always been at the top of the class. A star signal-caller in high school, the mobile passer left Gonzaga College HS (Washington, D.C.) as the nation's No. 1 recruit. Three college seasons and a Heisman Trophy later, he entered the NFL as the No. 1 selection by the Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Williams plans to leave opposing fans feeling as blue as the Bears' uniforms. Selected first overall in 2024, the signal-caller was excited to take the field on Sundays. He couldn't wait for the opportunity to silence road crowds and stack up wins.

Williams led the Bears on a three-game win streak from Weeks 4-6 in 2024, giving fans a glimpse into the future. He completed over 69 percent of his passes in each game and compiled 687 yards with seven scores, including four TD passes at the end of the stretch against Jacksonville.