National Football League

Rookie QB Caleb Williams is frustrated with losing, and so are Bears fans

Published Dec. 18, 2024 9:19 p.m. ET

Caleb Williams acknowledged the frustration he is experiencing and the impact all this losing is having on him.

It's not the way the prized quarterback or the Chicago Bears envisioned this season going.

"You talk to yourself," Williams said Wednesday. "You motivate yourself, you encourage yourself. You have positive affirmations that you say to yourself. With that, it makes the days better, it makes when you're going through a tough patch, it makes those days a little bit easier rather than pulling yourself down, telling yourself you're this and that."

While Williams tries to self-motivate, the fans in Chicago are a bit restless, according to Chase Daniel, co-host of FS1's "The Facility."

After the Bears' 30-12 loss to the Vikings, Daniel gave his assessment of what the fan base is experiencing, saying, "I don't think there's any way that you can't be disappointed about Caleb's rookie season."

"Specifically, I think it's more frustrating for Bears fans because you build this roster … re-sign DJ Moore and Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift [and] Gerald Everett. You get Keenan Allen. Oh, by the way, this is the No. 1 scoring defense last year, the last 10 games of the year, and then all you need is that one piece for you to make a difference," Daniel said.

"Just go look from 2021 to 2024 … Is there any difference? It's all the same. The Bears have had three head coaches in four years [and] seven different starting quarterbacks … You think you're getting your generational player in 2024 in Caleb Williams, and you build your entire team around him. What's changed up there? In fact, some stuff has gotten worse from Justin Fields, and I would say they're a better team," Daniel added.

"So I don't think you can't look at this and say it's not the most frustrating and disappointing season in a long time, because the one thing that Caleb Williams, when he was drafted, gave the Bears fans was hope."

The Bears (4-10) came into the season thinking they were poised to contend for a playoff spot after a busy offseason. They drafted Williams with the No. 1 overall pick, banking on the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner to become their franchise quarterback and solidify a position that has haunted them throughout their history. They also acquired Allen, a six-time Pro Bowler, and drafted Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick, giving them a deep set of wide receivers alongside Moore.

But instead of climbing in the NFC North, they're buried at the bottom of the division with eight straight losses. Williams has looked particularly shaky the past few games, and if that wasn't bad enough, Detroit (12-2) comes to Soldier Field on Sunday.

Though the Lions have been hit hard by injuries and are coming off a loss to Buffalo that stopped a franchise-record 11-game winning streak, they still are tied for the top seed in the NFC. They haven't lost two straight in more than two years, either.

Williams, meanwhile, looked beaten both physically and mentally in Chicago's loss at Minnesota on Monday night. He had just 191 yards after throwing for 134 the previous week at San Francisco and was sacked two more times, bringing his league-leading and franchise-record total to 58.

Williams has seen the Bears fire offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and then let a coach go in season for the first time in franchise history when they booted Matt Eberflus the day after Thanksgiving following a string of bad late-game decisions. He already has as many losses as a pro as he did in one season at Oklahoma and two at Southern California.

Rumors immediately began to circulate around the next head coach of the Bears, with many wondering who could come in and help the young quarterback. NFL coordinators like Joe Brady, the OC for the Buffalo Bills, have been mentioned for the position; however, Colin Cowherd said on "The Herd" he believes the job should go to a more seasoned head coach who knows how to deal with dysfunction, like former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

"I'm not saying Joe Brady can't do it, but Mike Vrabel can do it," Cowherd began.

"Mike Vrabel was coached hard in the ecosystem of [Bill] Belichick. Mike Vrabel was in Tennessee, and they've had plenty of dysfunction. He had to win a division without a great quarterback or an ascending quarterback.

"I keep seeing all these coordinators for this job. You can't hire a guy who's good with asphalt to build the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a grown-up job. You need the top lawyer to handle this case. You need somebody that's been to a conference championship, that can deal with dysfunction, that can blow stuff up, start over, and build a culture. That's what [Jim] Harbaugh was. That's what Dan Campbell was," Cowherd continued.

Given all drama, it's easy to see why the rookie has turned to positive affirmations. Not that it's been all negative for Williams.

He has put together some promising stretches and done a good job protecting the ball. He has gone eight straight games and an NFL rookie-record 286 passes without an interception — the longest streak by any Bears quarterback.

But in a city where high draft picks Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields flamed out, the beating Williams is taking is setting off more alarms. He rushed through his progressions and was out of sync against Minnesota, just as he was the previous week.

"Losing is one of those things that really affects me," he said. "It's tough. But I do have the understanding of where I'm at in my career and where I'll be at. Having that understanding is important for me."

As Williams deals with his frustrations — sometimes visibly during games — "The Facility" co-host James Jones would just like to see the 23-year-old conduct himself with a bit more maturity in the future, even when he is playing poorly.

James Jones on Caleb Williams' body language: 'He needs to mature mentally' | The Facility

"He needs to mature, mentally. We can't give him the excuse. Every rookie in the National Football League been playing football for two years, and he's the only rookie out here with body language like this," Jones began.

"Coaches know you are a rookie … mistakes are going to happen. It's our job as coaches to coach those mistakes. Don't get frustrated. Don't get down on yourself. Body language. Head up. That's what we're taught as a young kid," Jones continued.

"This is simple … Keenan could be doing this. DJ Moore could be doing this. Your dudes on the defense could be doing this. You are a leader, bro. You gotta mature mentally," Jones concluded.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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