Chicago Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams’ Highly Anticipated NFL Debut: ‘Just Win’

Former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams is preparing for one of the most anticipated NFL debuts in recent memory when the Chicago Bears host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Sept. 8. Williams enters the 2024 season with high expectations after being selected No. 1 overall in this year’s NFL Draft.

Despite everything, Williams cares more about team success than outstanding individual results.

“As long as we win,” Williams said. “Because last time I remember, winning is what matters most. And as long as we win, at the end of the day, 100 yards, 400, it all becomes the same.”

The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner will have the opportunity to become the first No. 1 pick to win his Week 1 start since David Carr of the Houston Texans in 2002. In fact, starting quarterbacks are 0-7-1 in the last five seasons in Week 1. The last starting quarterback to win a Week 1 start was fellow USC quarterback Sam Darnold of the New York Jets in 2018.

“The expectation is what it always is: to win,” quarterback Keenan Allen said. “No matter who the quarterback is, you want to win. I wouldn’t rather be with any other guy right now than Caleb. He’s gotten better since we started. His confidence is through the roof.”

Williams flashed brilliance in the two games he played in during the preseason, and his performances were featured on the HBO Original Series, “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears,” which only served to raise expectations.

Williams is currently the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year next season, at +120, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The last USC player to win the award was running back Marcus Allen of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982.

This week, the Bears named their 22-year-old rookie quarterback a team captain, a decision Williams doesn’t take lightly.

“I’m incredibly grateful,” Williams said. “I can’t imagine how many rookies are captains, especially on a team that’s so talented. We’re a pretty young team, but obviously we have a lot of veterans, so to be named captain by my peers and peers and teammates and friends and brothers, I’m incredibly grateful, incredibly happy, and I told them as soon as I could break it down or talk to them and stuff like that, so. You know, ready to go. Excited. Extremely grateful and excited.”

“He went out there and proved himself, took control of the offense,” Bears quarterback DJ Moore said. “He started getting open. People saw that and we rolled with him.”

Chicago has been without a star quarterback since Sid Luckman in the 1940s. The Bears are the only team in the NFL whose quarterback has never thrown for more than 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a season. With his physical talent and the Bears’ full arsenal on offense, Williams certainly has the potential to surpass those numbers in 2024.

Williams’ teammates are supportive of the young point guard and have expressed great confidence in him ahead of the first week of play.

“I just want him to go out and play football for real,” Moore said. “Keep doing what he did. He’s a winner, so lead us to a win.”