No question about it: Bears are QB Caleb Williams' team now

When Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was thrust into a leadership role as a captain in his rookie year, it seemed kind of artificial.

Naturally, the QB should be the leader on any team, but it was awkward for a 22-year-old in a locker room full of veterans. And Williams had enough to figure out individually without worrying about anyone else.

Deep into Williams’ second season, it’s totally different. There’s no doubt this is his team now.

His voice resonates, which was obvious last week in the comeback against the Packers. His grasp of coach Ben Johnson’s offense has improved to the point that he stands somewhere between player and coach when it comes to correcting teammates. And, most of all, he earned credibility by playing well.

“That is a part of it, for sure,” wide receiver Rome Odunze told the Sun-Times. “When you’re making plays like he’s making and executing the offense, that carries over.

“Being a leader is something he’s continued to gain more confidence in and be more vocal about and really just be himself. He did a good job of it last year, but it’s tough when you’ve got Marcedes Lewis in the locker room with 19 years of experience and Keenan Allen. But he took those examples and learned from them, and he’s grown in those areas.”

Williams’ poise in the huddle, certainty in the offense, coolness under pressure and energizing effect on teammates has led the Bears to a divisional-round playoff game Sunday against the Rams.

They’re two wins away from the Super Bowl and have reached this point because of him, not in spite of him. The last time the Bears were this good was 2018, when their defense was far more of a factor than their quarterback.

Many players have made major contributions, including 10-year veterans Joe Thuney, Grady Jarrett and Kevin Byard III, but Williams is the engine of this team.

“I’ve gained more confidence in the offense and knowing exactly what and where [people should be], and the belief and trust that I have in them to do their job is paramount,” Williams said. “So sometimes you have to hold everybody accountable. I get held accountable every day, and I want to win these games and be in these big moments, so we have to be accountable to each other.”

Williams had to get himself right, however, before he could be authoritative with others. It would be nearly impossible to give orders if he was still stumbling in Johnson’s offense like he was in training camp and early in the season.

It was a lot like rookie initiation all over again as Johnson sought to clear out what Williams was taught by Matt Eberflus’ staff and build him from the ground up. That process was full of errors, and Johnson hammered every misstep, privately and publicly.

“He really tried to force Caleb out of his comfort zone,” passing-game coordinator Press Taylor said. “I would imagine Caleb had less than 100 snaps under center before he got to the NFL, so we [wanted] to get him as good as we can. If that was something he never latched on to, we would’ve pivoted, but that’s a credit to Caleb’s work and how he’s gotten himself to be very comfortable with what we’re asking him to do.”

Williams pleaded for the Bears to hire someone who would coach him hard; they answered with Johnson. He has responded.

His play took off down the stretch, but he felt things start to click in late October and early November. By mid-December, that translated to production. It hasn’t all been smooth. It was rocky last week before a late surge against the Packers helped him finish with 361 passing yards and two touchdowns, including the winner to wide receiver DJ Moore with 1:43 left.

Those moments have drawn teammates to buy into Williams, as well. Statistics aside, he led the Bears to a league-high six fourth-quarter comebacks during the regular season and added another in the postseason. His resolve has had an impact.

“It just oozes out of Caleb,” tight end Colston Loveland said. “Everyone else grabs ahold of it.”

What Williams does behind the scenes matters, too. He absorbs expertise from Johnson and veteran backup quarterback Case Keenum, whom the Bears signed in part to mentor him. His attention to detail is sharper. He constantly credits others. There’s no question about his work ethic.

“His car is here longer, his car is here earlier and he always has a notebook in his hand, always going over something,” running back D’Andre Swift said. “He’s taking his process very, very seriously, and that’s something that we need to do, every individual. He’s been great with his approach.”

Williams is still a work in progress. He’d be the first to offer up a list of what he needs to improve this week and going into next season. But in the Bears’ decadeslong search for a true franchise quarterback, an array of signs points to Williams being their guy.