American Football
Who is Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams?
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Caleb Williams was hailed as the saviour of the Chicago Bears' offense when he arrived on the scene in 2024, but the young quarterback didn't have it all his own way in his rookie year.
Despite his uneven start, optimism is building that Williams will take a big step forward this year.
DAZN News digs into his story, his progress, and what lies ahead.
Where was Caleb Williams selected in the NFL Draft?
After an impressive freshman season at Oklahoma, Williams transferred to USC for 2022 and quickly became the driving force behind the Trojans’ offensive revival. In his first year as the starter, he completed 66.6% of his throws, racked up 34 passing touchdowns, and ran for 10 more, capping it all off with a Heisman Trophy.
He followed up with another strong year in 2023, leaving little doubt his knack for creating plays would translate well to the pro level and that he’d be the first player to hear his name called on draft night.
A blockbuster deal with the Panthers during the 2023 NFL Draft resulted in the Bears receiving the top pick in 2024. In that trade, Chicago sent the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 to Carolina and, in return, landed wide receiver DJ Moore, the No. 9 and No. 61 picks in 2023, a 2024 first-rounder that became this year’s No. 1 overall pick, and a 2025 second-round selection.
Despite suggestions that Williams did not want to play for Chicago, Bears GM Ryan Poles made the young signal-caller the first overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
NFL career so far
His numbers in his rookie year paint a distorted picture. On the surface, completing 62.6% of his passes, achieving a 20:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and gaining 500 yards on the ground is an excellent return for a first-year signal-caller.
Unfortunately, it was a year marred with one inescapable problem: Williams was sacked an NFL-high 68 times, third-most in NFL history, leading to concerns about his ability to sense pressure and throw the ball away to avoid negative plays.
Williams' slow release was part of the issue, as was Chicago's offensive line: three of the five starters graded particularly poorly in pass protection, and the ground game offered little relief by averaging only 4 yards per carry, which ranked 28th in the league.
Williams got better as the season unfolded, but it was too little too late for the Bears, as they fell to a disappointing 5-12 record and finished bottom of the NFC North.
Career outlook
There’s plenty of optimism that 2025 could be the year Williams enjoys a breakout season. Most young quarterbacks need time to adjust to the speed and demands of the NFL, and that learning curve should be made smoother with the arrival of new head coach Ben Johnson, formerly the Lions’ OC and widely regarded as one of the league’s top offensive minds.
The Bears have also overhauled their offensive line, shoring up the unit by signing proven quantities in guards Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney, and center Drew Dalman.
Williams and the Bears will once again have plenty of offensive firepower. Veteran receiver Keenan Allen departed in free agency, but the Bears used early picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to bring in promising wideout Luther Burden III and athletic tight end Colston Loveland. Williams can lean on talented wide receivers D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze while the rookies get up to speed.
It’s too soon to label 2025 as make-or-break for Williams. He’s only in his second season, and how he fares this year won’t define his career. With that said, the 2025 campaign is undeniably a pivotal chapter in his development, and expectations are high.
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