Chicago Bears star quarterback Caleb Williams has been "itching" for redemption since the club's 2025 Divisional Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He's eager — not just to pick up where things left off — but to pursue excellence.
Williams spoke candidly and confidently during his press conference when the Bears returned to Halas Hall to begin their 2026 offseason workout program. He acknowledged the positive takeaways from last season despite getting eliminated from the playoffs. However, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick has much bigger goals for himself and Chicago moving forward:
"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 stated. "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. ... That last year wasn't really anything. It was a good year, and we got many more good years coming up."
Caleb Williams sends powerful message to Bears fans as 2026 offseason workout program begins
You heard the man. Williams views guiding the Bears to their first 10-plus-win campaign since 2018 and first NFC North title since 2020 as a "good stepping stone." Yet, it's far from the final stage in his and Chicago's development; how they're able to "grow off" their achievements will define them.
The endgame for Williams and the Bears isn't an admirable second-round exit. He's working toward being the greatest passer in franchise history and the NFL's top signal-caller. His sights are set on bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Chicago for the first time in over four decades.
Many are skeptical of Chicago following an impressive, albeit somewhat fluky, 11-6 finish and postseason appearance, which included a Wild Card victory. They were dubbed the "Cardiac Bears" for mounting seven game-winning fourth-quarter comeback drives. Nevertheless, Williams reminded everyone that the team's ability to overcome adversity and persevere is a part of their DNA.
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Enjoying success is one thing, but maintaining it is another. The Bears are going from being a plucky underdog to having a target on their back. Evidently, Williams isn't backing down from the challenge and is prepared to show the world that Chicago is here to stay.
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