Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) looks downfield against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Why Rams' McVay Holds Bears' Williams in High Regards

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Brock Vierra | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 5:50 PM ET

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. A few years ago, Caleb Williams and Sean McVay represented two of Los Angeles' brightest football figures.

Williams, USC's new top talent, looked to take the Trojans to the next level. McVay, coming off a Super Bowl win, looked to repeat. While Williams did win the Heisman, he fell short, losing to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

McVay suffered the worst season of his career. After taking knocks in 2023 and 2024, both men find themselves at the precipice of a trip to the NFC Championship. With one man's journey set to once again fall short, the Los Angeles Rams head coach detailed what makes Williams so great and why he's so tough to stop.

McVay on Williams

On Wednesday, during his presser, McVay spoke in detail about Williams' abilities on the football field.

“I think he's doing a great job of…he can obviously make a bunch of different plays with his legs," stated McVay. "I think he sees things well. He’s got an understanding of some of the concepts that [Head] Coach [Ben] Johnson's activating. He gets a bunch of different play makers involved. It's one thing where you see him play in time and in rhythm with good accuracy and anticipation, but then some of those second reaction plays where he’s getting flushed to his right or getting flushed to his left and guys understand how to be able to work with him, those are the ones that are really scary."

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

"He's playing at a high clip. You talk about a team that's figured out a way to be able to finish games and create explosives, they've done an excellent job of capitalizing on taking the ball away defensively. On the flip side, taking care of it offensively. It's going to take a full 60 [minutes]. This team has finished as well as anybody, which is why they're in this position.”

Williams, who was victorious against Los Angeles last season, has taken a massive leap under Ben Johnson. McVay spoke on the elements that allowed Williams to take that jump.

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

“I think maturity and understanding of what they're trying to do," stated McVay. "I think he does a nice job too, when they're activating some of their stuff on early downs, of being able to keep the ball in play and finding check downs. It's like anything else. These conscientious, mature, really good players, they just get better and they learn from different things. I think there's a good rapport that exists between he and the coaching staff that you can see. There's a comfort and understanding. If you use it the right way, repetition is the mother of learning. He's done a really good job.”

The Rams play the Bears in Chicago on Sunday evening.

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