Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is heading into a season with much anticipation. The former USC Trojans quarterback had a tough first season, but with a new coach, the Bears could make a big push in the NFC North.
In his rookie season, Williams faced some criticism after an underwhelming year. In the offseason, there has been intense outside news regarding him attempting to bypass the Bears selecting him in the 2024 NFL Draft. Williams revealed his mindset heading into year two during an appearance on ESPN 1000’s “Waddle & Silvy” show.
Williams Not Feeling Pressure
With the 2025 season right around the corner, Williams is ready to get on the field and move on from last year. In the 2024 season, the Bears finished 5-12, last in the NFC North. When discussing his mindset, Williams said he does not feel the pressure from the outside noise.
“Pressure’s not a thing for me,” Williams said. “I don’t think of it that way.”
“It’s not my job to care what the outside noise is and things like that. My job is take care of everything in here and go out there and play. I know we didn’t win as many games as we wanted to last year, but I didn’t go 20 [touchdowns] and 20 interceptions and things like that. So, you know, take it for what you want, but no pressure is prevalent; pressure is a privilege, but you know the situation that I’m at. I don’t think I have pressure.”
Despite the season not going how the Bears would have wanted, Williams was a strong passer for a rookie. He finished the season with 3,541 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. Despite avoiding turnovers, Williams finished with a 62.5 completion percentage, but has the goal of not going below 70 percent in 2025.
One of the biggest issues for Williams that he must fix is the number of sacks he took. The former Trojans quarterback was sacked 68 times, the most in the league, losing 466 yards from it. The bright side is that in the offseason, Chicago built an offensive line that could be one of the best in the league. This was a much-needed improvement that will likely result in Williams taking a major step forward in year two.
Williams’ Year Two Potential
Williams proved he is a talented quarterback during his time with the USC Trojans. He won a Heisman Trophy with the Trojans after throwing for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. Williams went on to be the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2024.
Williams went through a tough rookie season, having to undergo multiple coaching changes. Both former Bears coach Matt Eberflus and his offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron, were fired in November.
Bringing in coach Ben Johnson is not only giving Williams an offensive genius to take the lead, but hopefully, consistency as the young quarterback continues to develop. Johnson helped the Detroit Lions become one of the top offenses over the past couple of seasons and is now looking to bring out the best in Williams.
"I told him this is on the player day off: his process is really clean right now. I'm talking about how he's preparing. I'm really pleased with it. He's doing the work behind the scenes that no one else is seeing, and we're starting to see the dividends being paid from it,” Johnson said, speaking to reporters after practice.
With both Williams having an added boost of confidence and Johnson advocating for his growth, the Chicago Bears could take a major step forward this season.
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