Bears QB Caleb Williams arrives at Halas Hall embracing enormous expectations

“What’s there to duck?” he responded when asked about the pressure he’ll be under in Chicago.

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Caleb Williams speaks at Halas Hall.

Caleb Williams was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft Thursday.

Chicago Sun-Times

New Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been under scrutiny for years already, but that’s about to reach a new level in the NFL — and especially in Chicago.

Williams isn’t bothered by any of that.

“Just do my job,” he said Friday. “If you win games, you’re gonna make a lot of people happy.”

When asked why he has continued to ramp up expectations rather than try to temper them, he said, “What’s the reason to duck? It’s here… We’re here. Attack it headfirst and go get it.”

The Bears made a franchise-altering decision to draft Williams first overall Thursday, which had long been expected. As part of that move, they traded former quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers last month.

Williams is the first quarterback the team has ever drafted first overall. Their most recent first-round quarterbacks were Fields (2021, No. 11), Mitch Trubisky (2017, No. 2) and Rex Grossman (2003, No. 22). Grossman last the longest at six seasons.

2024 NFL Draft
The Bears tried an ill-fated apprenticeship plan with Mitch Trubisky in 2017 (behind Mike Glennon) and Justin Fields in 2021 (behind Andy Dalton). But the 2024 Bears are set up for Williams as the Week 1 starter.
“My last goal is immortality,” Williams said two hours after the Bears made him their first-ever No. 1 overall pick at quarterback. “The only way to reach that is winning championships.’'
They’ll go into Williams’ rookie season with DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze at wide receiver.
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The position has been a headache for Poles, but now he has stacked DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Odunze for incoming quarterback Caleb Williams.

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