Caleb Williams had been a star for a long time. He thought he knew what football fans were like. The first taste came in high school, when he built a following in Washington, D.C., at the helm of his championship team. Then he got a taste of two blue-blood fandoms at Oklahoma and USC. Both were outspoken and passionate. Williams thought those experiences prepared him for what to expect from Chicago Bears fans when he arrived as the #1 overall pick in 2024. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
That first year didn’t show him much. The Bears got off to a good start but completely fell apart after their bye week, losing ten in a row. Fans did nothing other than voice their displeasure with the coaching staff, who were quickly purged after the season. Everything changed last year. Ben Johnson’s arrival kick-started a turnaround that saw the Bears go 11-6 and win the division. As the success grew, fans became more invested and more excited. Everything culminated in one of the most electric atmospheres Williams has ever experienced in the playoffs at Soldier Field.
He admitted on Maxx Crosby’s podcast that it completely changed his perspective on the city.
Caleb Williams has awoken a sleeping giant.
Bears fans have always been crazy about their team. Keep in mind, this group of people showed up to the Super Bowl parade in January of 1986 in excess of 500,000 despite the weather being 30 degrees below zero. They have been begging the organization to put a winner on the field so they can finally demonstrate how incredible they are at creating unforgettable sports atmospheres. The fact it happened thanks to a young quarterback only makes the entire process that much sweet.
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Remember, that position has haunted the Bears forever. They hadn’t had a true franchise quarterback since the end of World War II. Jim McMahon was a tremendous leader in the 1980s, but his career never really took off due to injuries. Jay Cutler had the talent and toughness, but was too inconsistent. Williams is the first player to display the durability and play-making wizardry to carry his team to victory every week. As a result, you saw home game attendance creep up over the course of the season. Bears fans were starting to believe.
| Game Type | Week/Round | Opponent | Attendance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | Week 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 58,742 | L 24–27 |
| Regular | Week 3 | Dallas Cowboys | 58,389 | W 31–14 |
| Regular | Week 7 | New Orleans Saints | 58,102 | W 26–14 |
| Regular | Week 10 | New York Giants | 58,884 | W 24–20 |
| Regular | Week 12 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 59,658 | W 31–28 |
| Regular | Week 15 | Cleveland Browns | 54,051 | W 31–3 |
| Regular | Week 16 | Green Bay Packers | 60,152 | W 22–16 (OT) |
| Regular | Week 18 | Detroit Lions | 57,036 | L 16–19 |
| Playoffs | Wild Card | Green Bay Packers | 60,338 | W 31–27 |
| Playoffs | Divisional | Los Angeles Rams | 60,253 | L 17–20 (OT) |
Williams has a chance to turn Chicago into a weapon.
Bears fans have always been a vocal crowd. However, they haven’t really taken over games in the past, either due to apathy or a lack of belief that the team was capable of going all the way. Caleb Williams could change that. His ability to bring the Bears back from the brink of defeat has instilled a confidence in fans that hasn’t been there in decades. They’re starting to believe this team always has a chance. When you see that happen in any sport, the volume always crowds inside that stadium.
Opponents will find it more and more hostile, making it difficult to execute on offense, both because of the noise and the juice it gives the Bears’ defense. Williams, by contrast, will operate in mostly quiet conditions, able to execute the offense at will. Not only that, but Bears fans have always travelled well. They are certain to take over stadiums across the league, eager to see their quarterback. What Williams experienced in January is probably just a taste of things to come.
