It’s hard to say, but if there’s one team that has ruined – or simply failed to develop – a quality quarterback throughout its NFL history, it’s theChicago Bears. Harsh as that may sound, there are many reasons why these claims are frequently debated by analysts and fans alike.
Since 1990, the Bears have used more than 30 different quarterbacks. Many of them were drafted or acquired via trades but failed to perform at the level fans expected. A clear example is the 2017 Draft, when the Bears selected Mitchell Trubisky with the #2 overall pick – passing on both Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
Now the Bears are looking to rewrite that narrative with Caleb Williams, a standout talent from USC who will enter his second year with Chicago. Williams had ups and downs in his rookie season, and we’ll see if he can break out in 2025. If he doesn’t, the “curse” would continue for the Windy City franchise.
Caleb Williams looks to change the narrative
An ESPN report based on an upcoming book by Seth Wickersham, American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback, reveals some eye-opening information about Williams and the Bears’ coaching staff:
“Sometimes, Williams said he would watch film alone, without instruction or guidance from coaches. ‘No one tells me what to watch,’ Caleb Williams told his father. ‘I just put it on.'”
NFL analysts have been trying to decipher what Williams meant by that statement – whether he prefers to study film on his own for personal growth or if it reflects poorly on the Bears’ coaching. Either way, it’s sparked a heated debate.
One of the strongest critics has been former Green Bay Packers receiver James Jones, who didn’t hold back on Caleb Williams or the Bears:
“I don’t know Caleb Williams personally, you know what I mean? And I don’t want to call anyone a liar, but I played in the NFL a long time,” said Jones. “…There were scheduled times when we watched film as an offense or by position groups. So don’t tell me you weren’t watching film with your quarterbacks or your offense – because yes, you were. That’s on the calendar.”
However, there’s another side to the story. It appears that even Tom Brady watched film alone – something confirmed by legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was a key part of Brady’s seven Super Bowl wins.
“I don’t watch film,” Gronkowski said during a 2021 broadcast with the Manning brothers. “I go to Tom, because I know he watches like, I don’t know, 40 hours of film a week.”
“(I ask him), ‘Tom, who’s covering me, and what kind of coverage are they running?’ And I say, ‘That’s why I love playing with you, Tom – you know everything,'” Gronkowski added.
Now, it all falls on Caleb Williams. The Bears brought in Ben Johnson – the offensive mastermind behind the Detroit Lions’ success – as Head Coach to help him explode in 2025. History may be against Williams simply because he’s with the Bears, but he has the chance to break that curse and become a legend in Chicago.
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