The Chicago Bears were a preseason afterthought in the minds of experts. Predictions typically ranged from repeating 5-12 to at best 9-8 this year, even with the arrival of new head coach Ben Johnson. It was felt that the team needed tons of work that would require at least a year to sort out before it had any hope of becoming good. That started with Caleb Williams. Fixing all his issues as a passer after his frustrating rookie season couldn’t possibly be done in a matter of months. Yet here they are.
Williams is putting together one of the best overall seasons in Bears history despite an unideal completion percentage. Johnson has assembled one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks, and the defense leads the league in takeaways. The Bears are 11-4, clinching their first playoff berth in five years. By any metric, this season has been a major success. Just don’t tell Williams that. He made one thing clear after the big win over Green Bay. What they’ve accomplished means nothing to him. The bigger prize is still ahead.
“I get drafted here. I’m told that I’m not a special player. I’m told that I’m not a good fit here. I’m told that Coach and I won’t work. I’m told I can’t win here. I know that that’s going to keep going on. But I do take a little satisfaction and things like that in being able to help this team, help this organization, be a part of it to get to the playoffs. And my goal isn’t to just get to the playoffs. My goal is to win and win big.”
Caleb Williams has always made it clear what his objective is.
He made the statement during an interview last year. It was a screenshot on his phone. The goal was to break Tom Brady’s record of seven Super Bowl victories. Yes, that sounded overly ambitious, but that was the point. If you’re not aiming to be the absolute best ever to play the game, what is the point? Williams has said his goal is to be the best. Whether he gets there can be debated, but nobody can dismiss his willingness to aim high. That is often what the great quarterbacks do. Too many previous Bears passers never seemed to have those expectations.
That will never happen with Caleb Williams. Other players on the team might be content with making the playoffs. That is fine. It isn’t their job to keep an eye on the bigger picture. That falls on the shoulders of the quarterback. He is the leader. He sets the tone. In his eyes, making the playoffs and immediately losing would be a waste of precious time. Brady’s first playoff appearance ended with a Super Bowl ring. If he can do it, there is no reason to think Williams can’t. It starts with issuing the challenge.
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