While Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has gotten plenty of hype throughout the offseason, he has also found himself in a bit of controversy. But on Wednesday, Williams addressed the drama and offered his side of the story.
Prior to being selected by the Bears, Williams asked the team to trade their No. 1 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings. He threatened to join the UFL simply to avoid playing in Chicago. Williams ultimately decided he wanted to join the Bears, but the report by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham spawned a dark cloud over the quarterback’s head.
Williams wasn’t afraid to answer any direct questions about his loyalty to the Bears. He was honest about his pre-draft intentions, but revealed exactly what made him change his opinion on Chicago, via Cassie Carlson of Fox 32 News.
“This whole storm that happened, it wasn’t something that we wanted to happen at this point,” Williams started. “We’re focused on the present, we’re focused on now, we’re focused on trying to get this ship moving in the right direction. So far I think that’s what we’ve been doing.”
“For this to come out, it has been a distraction. I had a good visit in Minnesota with Kevin O’Connell and his staff. He just won Coach of the Year awards, things like that. Obviously good staff and all that. But something that keeps getting lost is the fact that, I went on that visit first, I came here and then I went back home, talked to my dad about all these big things that we’re supposed to be these ‘big things’ that everybody has been talking about recently.”
“One, never happened in the sense of, they were all thoughts. They were all ideas. If you’re in a situation, if your son, or daughter or anybody in that position, you’d think about all the options. If you look at the history and the facts and all these things, that’s what goes through your head in that situation.”
“All of those were thoughts,” Williams concluded. “But after I came to my visit here. It was a deliberate and determined answer that I had that I wanted to come here. Just like Ben [Johnson] spoke about. Obviously, for the past year everybody knows it’s a fact.”
Caleb Williams addresses the Seth Wickersham article. #Bears @fox32news pic.twitter.com/0HHIYHJQ3t
— Cassie Carlson (@CassieCarlsonTV) May 28, 2025
Caleb Williams must flip the narrative
If Williams really wanted to silence the doubters, the easy way to do so would be to win. Johnson has already put plans in place to help elevate the quarterback’s game and help him reach his No. 1 pick ceiling.
Things like the quarterback’s pre-snap procedure to how he gets up from getting hit have already been discussed. Furthermore, after being sacked a league-high 68 times as a rookie, how Williams handles himself in the pocket will certainly be discussed. Overall, Johnson and his staff are committed to tinkering with the quarterback’s approach as much as necessary to make things work.
But ultimately, it’ll be up to Williams. The Bears will go as far as he does. If he is able to reach the expectations placed on his shoulders by Johnson, the offensive will look much more prolific in Chicago. But if he continues to struggle, the Bears will have the same questions since 2026.
One thing Chicago isn’t questioning though is Williams commitment, as he has proven his biggest goal is helping the Bears get back on top.
Chicago Bears build around Caleb Williams
With Williams committing to the Bears, Chicago in turn has shown their belief in the quarterback in spades. All of their offseason moves have been made with Williams in mind. Because of that, there aren’t many excuses for him to hid behind.
The hiring of Johnson was the first step. After starting his career with a defensive-minded head coach in Matt Eberflus, now Williams has one of the brightest offensive minds in the league to work with. Not only does that give him a strong foundation, but Johnson’s scheme should lead to Williams becoming more of a playmaker.
With new guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson alongside center Drew Dalman, the offensive line in front of Williams is much more stout. He can’t hold onto the ball forever, but Williams will have an opportunity to make plays in the pocket.
And when he looks to throw down field, a litany of playmakers await. Wide receivers DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden alongside tight ends Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet give the Bears one of the scariest group of skill position players on paper. If Johnson and Williams can find a way to put all the puzzle pieces together, the Bears will be a tough team to beat anytime they have the ball.
Wednesday’s press conference was a way for Williams to clear the air and address the elephant in the room. With that out of the way, the quarterback plans to return to the practice field ready to help the Bears return to the top of the NFC North.
Chicago Bears playmaker could be in for offense’s biggest bounce back year
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