It is never easy to move on after your season ends, and for Chicago Bears fans, of course this season had to end at the buzzer. It was only right. After seven game-winning drives engineered by Caleb Williams this season, yet another contest game down to the wire.
An overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC's Divisional Round will be the final moment we remember for this Bears team that exceeded all expectations in 2025. And, even though it's hard for players and coaches to immediately cling to moral victories, that's truly what we'll all be doing sooner or later.
No one expected the Bears to go this far. Shoot, many didn't expect Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson to work well together. It sounds hilarious now, but if you look back to pre-draft in 2024, there were plenty who tried disparaging Williams' name and even attempted to separate he and the Bears even before he was drafted.
After this loss, though, Williams made his stance crystal-clear on the city of Chicago and, in a way, cemented his status as a Bears franchise icon for years to come:
"I'm proud of our guys. I appreciate the city of Chicago, I appreciate the Chicago Bears organization, and I truly appreciate the coaches, their sacrifice, and obviously my teammates."
Caleb Williams has embraced Chicago and there's nothing the critics can do about it
This was one final message to the folks like Colin Cowherd, who didn't think this marriage would work early on in the season. Cowherd had cemented his infamous title as one of the biggest flip-floppers in sports media by the season's end, because Williams made him a believer.
This was one final message to those who ignited the fire storm of rumors and reports that Williams didn't even want to come to Chicago in the first place. Whether that was at the fault of his father, others close to him, or it was all just fabricated journalism for the sake of clicks (eh em, that's the one) ... this message was a response to all of it.
Williams has embraced the city of Chicago. He has the entire city behind him and, for weeks on end, the people of Chicago have been buzzing nonstop. It hasn't even come to a halt, yet, contrary to what logic might tell you.
This loss is still a loss. It stings. But, in the grand scheme of things, the city of Chicago is not going to stop buzzing over the savior of this franchise; the man they have dubbed "Ice Man" is going to be here for a very, very long time.
And, again, to those who may have doubted Williams from the beginning for whatever reason it might be (criticism on those painted fingernails be damned) ... the man himself just sent the strongest message possible.
Read more: Cris Collinsworth said what every Bears fan was thinking about game-losing INT
Williams loves this city. He loves this organization. And, the entire city and fan base loves him back.
This is only the beginning.