When Ben Johnson was hired as the Chicago Bears' head coach, one thing was at the top of his agenda. Take the raw talent of Caleb Williams and make it into a top-tier quarterback. While some surface numbers, such as raw completion percentage, might suggest otherwise, Williams took undeniable steps in the second season.
Bears' pass catchers also dropped a ton of passes (34, according to Pro Football Focus), costing Williams a bunch of completions (of course) and big chunks of yardage that would have made his numbers better.
That said, Williams' inconsistency was surely as frustrating for the Bears' offensive coaches as it was for fans. He is keenly aware of the work he has to do before he's regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL as he moves toward his third season, and Year 2 with Johnson as his guide.
Place in Pro Football Focus QB ranking proves Caleb Williams' room for growth
Pro Football Focus is out with the ranking of their highest-graded quarterbacks for the 2025 season. Williams came in at No. 14, with a 76.9 overall grade.
"When the lights shone brightest late in the game, it was Caleb Williams’ time to make magic happen. The second-year quarterback was beyond impressive in the fourth quarter and overtime, tying for the most big-time throws (15) during the witching hour. Most notably, his game-winning 46-yard touchdown strike in overtime to DJ Moore in Week 16. The highest-graded throw of the year, and one of just 29 throws to receive a +2 grade in PFF history." Â
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford lapped the field with 58 "big-time throws" this past season. Williams came in second with 37, though, with 40.5 percent of them coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The number of big-time throws coming late in games, compared with the first three quarters combined, shows where Williams has the most room for growth going forward. Late-game heroics should be the salt of success for a quarterback, not the food.
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The "clutch gene" separates the best quarterbacks from the rest, and Williams has it to the point that he has quickly earned his "Iceman" nickname. Refining his performance early in games is the obvious next step in his evolution. Then he won't need to make quite as many improbable, big-time plays to pull a rabbit out of his hat late in games.