Lake Forest, IL (AP) – Caleb Williams had all sorts of questions for the Chicago Bears before they drafted him with the No. 1 pick before last season.
For one, he wanted to know why the founding NFL franchise has never had a 4,000-yard passer. He couldn’t recall the response verbatim, but the Bears did mention the wind and cold and smashmouth style of football. It’s possible they threw in a “Monsters of the Midway” reference, too.
“I don’t exactly remember what they told me or what the answer was, but a lot of it comes from the weather and all these different things,” Williams said on Wednesday. “And kind of how Chicago has been with running the ball and all these different things. I think they ended up choosing right. I have a strong enough arm to cut through the wind, and I’ve been blessed with that.”
Williams heads into the regular-season finale against Detroit on Sunday with the Bears’ single-season passing record almost at hand and 4,000 yards within reach. With 3,730 yards, he needs 109 to surpass Erik Kramer’s mark of 3,838 in 1995 and 270 to hit 4,000 for the season.
“I think I was brought here for those types of things and those types of moments,” Williams said, adding he’s more focused on winning, particularly with the playoffs approaching.
Coach Ben Johnson dismissed 4,000 as “an arbitrary number.” But in Chicago, it is a big deal. The Bears, after all, are the only franchise without a 4,000-yard passer.
“There are probably some who don’t have a 5,000-yard passer. Right?” Johnson said. “So. It’s just a number.”
It also shows the progress Williams is making. The Bears drafted the former USC star to develop in ways recent high draft picks Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields never did and rewrite the narrative about Chicago quarterbacks.
Hiring Johnson last January was an extra push. They hoped he could get the most out of their prized quarterback after a successful run as offensive coordinator in Detroit, and it’s paying off in a big way.
The Bears (11-5) captured their first NFC North championship since 2018 after finishing last in the division a year ago and are headed to the playoffs for the first time in five years. They’re trying to lock in the No. 2 seed and, with it, home field for the divisional round should they win their wild-card round playoff game at Soldier Field.
Williams has looked more and more comfortable in Johnson’s system throughout the season. His clutch play late in games is a big reason why the Bears are the first team in NFL history with six wins after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.
“I think he feels like he has a great grasp on what we’re trying to get done,” Johnson said. “And I think that’s showing up now on game day on a consistent basis and so he is able to play a little bit faster.”
Williams had one of his best games last week at San Francisco, throwing for a season-high 330 yards and two touchdowns. He had Chicago in position for a seventh comeback win, only to miss on a last-ditch pass to Jahdae Walker in the end zone, sealing a 42-38 loss. That knocked the Bears out of the running for the top seed in the NFC.
A week earlier, Chicago rallied from 10 down late in the fourth quarter to beat Green Bay in overtime. Williams threw a tying touchdown to Walker against an all-out blitz near the end of regulation before connecting with D.J. Moore on a 46-yarder in OT, giving the Bears a 22-16 win.
“I want to be the best quarterback not only for Chicago but in the league and that starts with consistency, that starts with me preparing the right way,” Williams said. “It’s important to me. I don’t get up to be mediocre. I don’t get up to not come to work and be at my best and go on the football field and do what I do. I want to keep growing. I want to keep growing for myself. I want to keep growing for my legacy. But I also want to keep growing for this team.”
NOTES: Johnson said the Bears will “see how this week goes” before deciding if WR Rome Odunze (foot) plays this week. He has missed the past four games. Johnson also said the Bears were “hopeful” WR Luther Burden (leg) plays this week and that LB Noah Sewell (Achilles tendon) was placed on injured reserve.
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