Caleb Williams revealed the impact of Aaron Rodgers ' influence on his game as he dazzled fans in the Chicago Bears ’ preseason clash with the Cincinnati Bengals .
On Saturday, the Bears secured a crushing 27-3 victory over the Bengals. The win means the Bears are 3-0 in preseason.
Williams and the Bears’ offense got off to a slow start at the beginning of the game, but the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft found his groove. He made several improbable throws , finishing with 75 passing yards from 6-of-13 completions along with a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
Williams suggested New York Jets quarterback Rodgers helped him pull off some of the spellbinding moments. The rookie has previously spoken of his adoration for the four-time MVP’s game and lists Rodgers as a key influence.
“It's something I've worked on in practice,” Williams said, per Yahoo! Sports , of his highlights on Saturday. “I mean, watching Aaron Rodgers; I know he was a Green Bay guy. Sorry guys. But watching Aaron Rodgers and all his times these past 19, 20 years. He can do unbelievable things. Just practicing it over time, perfecting it.
“Obviously, there are gonna be times when I don't put it exactly where I want to. But today worked out, Rome ran a great route and made a marvelous catch.”
Williams also liked what he saw from his chemistry with fellow top-10 pick Odunze. He warned the NFL : “We're going to be explosive. We're two rooks, but we're trying to catch up with the old guys as fast as we can to make sure that we're right there on par with them. We're only going to keep growing and keep building this connection.”
Amid great anticipation for Williams’ Soldier Field debut, Chicago struggled out the gate. The 22-year-old was 0-of-3 on the Bears’ opening series, which included an intentional grounding penalty, and he went three-and-out on his team’s first three possessions of the game.
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The Bears’ fourth series resulted in a field goal from kicker Cairo Santos shortly after a 43-yard defensive pass interference penalty was called against the Bengals on a deep ball from Williams to receiver Tyler Scott. But Williams conjured up magic on the fifth series.
Williams majestically evaded pressure in the pocket before spinning out of the pocket and rolling left before connecting on a spectacular 45-yard pass to fellow rookie Rome Odunze. It was a perfect throw, expertly hauled in by Odunze over the shoulder.
Another exceptional scramble by Williams saw the quarterback evade a Bengal defender before firing a pass at Odunze, who agonizingly caught the ball out of bounds for an incompletion. Finally, Williams found his way into the end zone for the first time in his professional career. On third-and-goal from the seven-yard line, Williams scrambled before finding a gap and bursting through with his legs.
The Bears are a historic team, representing one of two remaining original franchises from the NFL's founding season of 1920, along with the Arizona Cardinals - which began in Chicago. But the Bears are the only team in NFL history that has never had a quarterback throw for 4,000 yards in a single season.
Perhaps Williams can rewrite Chicago sports history. The Bears take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season on September 8.
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