Jul 24, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs with the ball during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bears' quarterback Caleb Williams downplays pressure into second season

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Richie Whitt | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 3:10 PM ET

Despite being a Heisman Trophy winner, No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft and a Chicago Bears' quarterback coming off a solid-but-not-spectacular rookie season, Caleb Williams is giving a subtle yawn in the direction of your perceived pressure.

"It's not my job to care about what the outside noise is," Williams said on Chicago's ESPN Radio's Silvy & Waddle Thursday afternoon. "I know we didn't win as many games as we wanted to last year. But I didn't throw 20 interceptions or things like that. Take it for what you want. Pressure is a privilege, but in the situation I'm at I don't think I have pressure."

One day Williams is casual about a declining Madden rating despite a productive season in which he threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns against only six interceptions. The next he shrugs at the pressure of lofty expectations ... even though he set the high standard himself. After a disappointing season in which he suffered the most sack yardage in the league and the Bears limped to a 5-12 finish after a hideous 10-game losing streak, Williams is targeting lofty goals in 2025 of 4,000 yards and a 70-percent completion percentage.

No Bears' quarterback has ever approached either number. The highest completion percentage belongs to Mitchell Trubisky, who got to 67 in nine starts in 2020. Erik Kramer threw for 3,838 yards in 1995.

Is Caleb naive? Irrational? Stubborn? In denial? He's a big-time quarterback in a big-time market, both of which come with built-in external pressures he is certainly aware of. He was also outplayed as a rookie by the likes of Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. In other words, improve ... or else.

"He knows what's coming, and we're getting to the point now where I don't even have to say as much," new head coach Ben Johnson told reporters after Thursday's training camp practice. "He's as hard on himself as I'm being on him, and he's disappointed when we're not spitting the plays out in the huddle the way we should or we're not taking the proper drop or our eyes aren't in the right place. He's getting to that point where it's more self-correction, and we're off and running from there. I'm really excited about where he's at mentally."

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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