Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen earned a viral moment last week when he complained the NFL was putting too much attention on Caleb Williams. He said this in complaint about his team not getting more love after going 13-4 last season. His quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, also had a better statistical season. Why is the Chicago Bears‘ signal caller the apple of the league’s eye all of a sudden? Well, there are certain ways to explain it. However, the best might be showing him a clip of Thursday night’s Hall of Fame game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals.
Panthers quarterback Hayden King was trying to drive his team down for a score late in the first half. Facing 3rd and 10, he got some pressure and tried retreating from the pocket, only to throw the ball while doing so. He thankfully fell incomplete. The announcer duo of Mike Tirico and Chris Collinsworth was quick to point out that King’s decision is a big no-no in the NFL. Quarterbacks can never get away with dropping straight back and throwing the ball at the same time.
With one exception, of course.
Caleb Williams’ reputation is well-earned.
This is in reference to the quarterback’s now iconic moment in the divisional round against the Los Angeles Rams. Facing 4th down at the end of regulation, the Bears needed a touchdown to force overtime. Williams took the snap and faced pressure. He retreated several yards, trying to create space. Knowing he couldn’t take a sack, he heaved the ball toward the back of the end zone. The absolute shock of his teammates, coaches, and opponents, the ball fell into the waiting arms of tight end Cole Kmet for the score.
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Tirico and Collinsworth were at that game. Tirico’s call might go down as one of the best in NFL history. The utterly flabbergasted and ecstatic response is evident throughout. Things like that don’t happen in this league. Quarterbacks aren’t supposed to have the ability to pull it off. Yet Caleb Williams did. It was a reminder of his exceedingly rare mix of improvisational skill and sheer arm strength. No wonder the announce team started laughing when they mentioned that moment.
One thing is undeniable about Williams.
He is must-see TV. This is nothing new. It’s been that way since he stepped on the field the first time in college. Even people who weren’t Oklahoma or USC fans tuned in just to see what kind of wizardry he’d pull next. The Bears have never really had somebody like that at quarterback. A player who can genuinely be called an attraction. One thing you can say about the NFL, they know how to market their attractions. Pushing him onto the cover of Madden was no coincidence.
Coen must be fuming from all of this. After complaining quite publicly, the coach watched Williams get back on national TV without even trying. He wasn’t even at the game or within a hundred miles. That is how high his celebrity has elevated. By most accounts from Halas Hall, the Bears quarterback is looking even better than he did at the end of last season. He’s calmer, more poised, and in far better control of the offense. All of this without losing his knack for late-game magic.
