Caleb Williams Can Set the Record Straight on Monday Night Football
As the Bears prepare for Monday Night Football against the Commanders, Caleb Williams has an opportunity to silence critics and prove Chicago drafted the right guy.
A City and a Quarterback Under the Microscope
Chicago Bears fans have heard it all. From the moment the team drafted consensus blue-chip quarterback prospect Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the football world has been waiting — almost hoping — to see him fail.
The Bears are an easy target. Caleb Williams — with his emotions on his sleeve and bold sense of style — can be too.
But let’s not pretend he’s ever been treated fairly by the media or the fans.
The Double Standard
His emotional moment after a hard-fought loss at USC wasn’t weakness — it was passion and a hunger to win. But the world decided it was too soft.
His personal style and self-expression show confidence and authenticity, but somehow that made him “not man enough” to play quarterback — whatever that means.
Football players can’t cry? Someone should’ve told Hall of Famer Terrell Owens before he tearfully defended Tony Romo in his postgame press conference. Or Tim Tebow — one of the greatest college athletes of all time — who broke down after losing an SEC title game.
Male athletes can’t paint their fingernails? Tell that to NBA Hall of Famers Dennis Rodman and Dwyane Wade — or Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles.
Caleb Williams is far from the first athlete to go against the grain. You just wouldn’t know it by the way he’s talked about.
A Rookie Season Worth Defending
Despite a rookie campaign that featured 3,541 passing yards (fifth-most in Bears history, sad as that might be), 20 touchdowns, just six interceptions, and a 1.1% interception rate — the third-best ever by a rookie quarterback with at least 10 starts — Williams was still crucified by the media.
He posted the third-highest passer rating by a rookie first-overall pick in NFL history, but the headlines weren’t about that.
Instead, offseason hit pieces built on hearsay from scorned ex-coaches were treated as gospel. The narrative became predictable:
Caleb Williams doesn’t work hard. Caleb Williams is a bad teammate. The Bears drafted the wrong guy at No. 1.
Never has a young quarterback with this much promise received this much criticism.
Comparisons Fuel the Fire
With each tight Bears loss in 2024 — and each Commanders win led by Jayden Daniels — the noise grew louder. And for Chicago fans, the chip on their collective shoulder only grew heavier.
Now, under new (and competent) leadership in 2025, Williams has started to set the record straight.
The Bears are averaging 25.3 points per game, ranking among the league’s top 10 offenses. Williams has 927 passing yards, nine total touchdowns, and just two interceptions. He’s looking every bit the part of a franchise quarterback.
Monday Night Redemption
One week from today, the Bears will head to Northwest Stadium to face Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football.
When these two met as rookies, Williams led Chicago on what should’ve been a game-winning drive — until a defensive lapse turned into a walk-off Hail Mary touchdown for Washington. That one play turned into an avalanche of misfortunate for Chicago and launched months of unfair comparisons.
Numbers That Tell the Truth
Since their last meeting, the numbers have actually leaned more evenly than most people realize. Daniels has thrown for 2,496 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions through 12 games, adding another 591 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
Williams, in 14 games, has totaled just over 3,000 passing yards with 19 touchdowns, only three interceptions, and a few hundred yards rushing of his own. He’s taken care of the football better, thrown for more yards per game, and kept Chicago’s offense moving even through the growing pains of a young roster.
The gap between the two isn’t nearly as wide as social media would have you believe — and if anything, it’s beginning to close fast.
Time to Flip the Narrative
I still believe Caleb Williams was the right pick at No. 1 — and will have a better career than Jayden Daniels. That’s not to diminish what Daniels has accomplished, but Williams’ upside, poise, and leadership are what Chicago’s been searching for.
With a win in primetime — and another strong offensive showcase — Williams has a real chance to flip the court of public opinion in his favor once and for all. It's well-documented that recency bias is the loudest guy in the room.
If the Bears lose on national TV, though, no matter how well he plays, the jokes will come. The lazy takes will return. And the same tired misnomer — that Caleb Williams hasn’t been successful — will live another week. Perhaps longer.
They say winning cures all. Maybe that includes toxic, unwarranted hate.