Bears' Caleb Williams embracing Super Bowl goal after playoff heartbreak

With first-year head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams leading the charge, the Chicago Bears became one of the top positive surprises of the 2025 NFL season before Chicago suffered a brutal 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Williams sounded like a signal-caller ready to play meaningful games this spring. 

Caleb Williams wants to become a Bears legend, Super Bowl champion

"It was good for me to be able to see, to be able to feel, to be able to go out there and win games," Williams said about experiencing success, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. "But that wasn't my goal. That's not my goal. That's not where I want to be. I want to be the best. I want to go win. I want to be, as we call it, a world champion. A Super Bowl champion. I want to be the best Bear quarterback, the best quarterback."

In his first season with Johnson as a head coach, Williams recorded seven comeback victories after trailing in the fourth quarter of games from Week 1 through Chicago's thrilling wild-card playoff win over the rival Green Bay Packers. Williams performed like a true franchise quarterback while rallying his team from behind in those instances, but he wants more in his third pro season. 

"That was a good stepping stone for me," Williams added about what he accomplished during the 2025 campaign. "But that wasn't the last stepping stone. Being able to grow off of last year and be able to progress in ways that I want to? That last year really wasn't anything. It was a good year. We've got many more good years coming up."

Caleb Williams is ready for the brighter spotlight

While the Bears are no longer flying under the radar, they remain part of a loaded NFC North division that features four teams that ended Week 18 this past January with winning records. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Chicago tied for seventh among the betting favorites at +1300 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LXI. 

"I've always expected this because I've wanted to be here," Williams said about handling the expectations that come with being a reigning division champion and a quarterback who now has a playoff win on his career resume. "This is where I've wanted to be. I've wanted to be in this position. I always say, 'If winning games and championships comes with a little bit more light, then so be it.' And so, we're going to keep chugging along, and like I said to the question earlier is, I have goals in mind and things I want to reach myself, and it mainly deals with winning. So like I said, it's where I want to be, it's where I thought I was going to be, it's where I manifested, whatever you want to say, spoke it into existence of where I want to be. And I have goals and things like that won't allow me to get distracted."

It wasn't all that long ago when some questioned if Williams actually "loves football." Such chatter has disappeared, and he seems eager to make another big leap this coming fall.