LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — Each time new Bears quarterback Caleb Williams opens up his cell phone, he's reminded of the goals for which he’s striving.
Williams accomplished one of those grand goals Thursday evening, when he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has now arrived in Chicago with hopes of becoming a franchise quarterback, and that's a goal that will drive him throughout the course of his NFL career.
Williams is also out to win the Super Bowl – eight times, to be exact. That would surpass legendary quarterback Tom Brady's seven championships, the most of any player in NFL history and more than any franchise has.
The 22-year-old Williams has been in the spotlight for most of his football life. He was a five-star recruit out of Gonzaga College High School in Washington D.C. who won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022 and became the poster child of college football’s NIL movement.
Now, Williams is being asked to lead the Bears to the type of sustained success they've never enjoyed and to become the caliber of franchise quarterback that Chicago has dreamed of finding for decades.
Williams isn’t shying away from any of that. He embraces the lofty expectations because they match his own goals.
“There’s no reason to duck,” Williams said Friday as he was introduced for the first time at Halas Hall. “I’m here, Rome (Odunze) is here, Keenan Allen, a top-five defense that we had last year, special teams, all the new roles, whatever. We’re here.”
During his top-30 visit with the Bears in early April at Halas Hall, Williams posed a question to team management: Why hasn’t this franchise produced a star at quarterback? From Cade McNown and Rex Grossman to Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields, Chicago has seen heralded quarterback prospects come and go without sustained success.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles explained to Williams that the franchise has never been in the position it's in now — with sound infrastructure and a deep roster in place around its young quarterback prodigy. The Bears believe in the vision of management, the leadership of head coach Matt Eberflus and the scheme of new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in the path forward.
The Bears have spent the last two years developing a roster under the watch of Poles and Eberflus, but they were also preparing for their significant swing at quarterback. Williams must now shoulder the hopes of a team that’s aiming to be great.
"My reason to go out there is to win games,” Williams said. “My reason why is to win games and championships. So, I want to be a big portion of it. I want to go out there, I want to have fun, I want to enjoy it and I want to do it with my teammates. What better place to do it than (with) the Chicago Bears?"
The Bears have given Williams a dynamic receiving corps in star DJ Moore, recently acquired six-time Pro Bowl veteran Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze, whom Chicago selected at No. 9 overall on Thursday. They also signed running back D’Andre Swift and strengthened their offensive line this offseason.
But the Bears also understand that it's a quarterback-driven league, and they believe they'll have a great one in place with Williams as he continues to develop.
"It was embarrassing to watch some of the things that he was doing to our defense,” the Washington product Odunze said of his team's matchups against Williams and USC in Pac-12 play. “Very special and a very unique skill set. When you watch him play, there are things he does on the field.
“The play is never over til the whistle is blown. You know that."
As the No. 1 pick and budding savior in Chicago, Williams will face great demands and scrutiny throughout his NFL career. He has been preparing for it all along.
Williams has landed in Chicago ready to chase his next set of lofty goals.
“There’s no reason to duck,” he said. “Attack it headfirst and go get it.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670 .
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