Bears QB Caleb Williams arrives at Halas Hall embracing enormous expectations

New Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been under scrutiny for years already, but that's about to reach a new level in the NFL — and especially in Chicago.

Williams isn't bothered by any of that.

"Just do my job," he said Friday. "If you win games, you're gonna make a lot of people happy."

When asked why he has continued to ramp up expectations rather than try to temper them, he said, "What's the reason to duck? It’s here… We’re here. Attack it headfirst and go get it.”

The Bears made a franchise-altering decision to draft Williams first overall Thursday, which had long been expected. As part of that move, they traded former quarterback Justin Fields to the Steelers last month.

Williams is the first quarterback the team has ever drafted first overall. Their most recent first-round quarterbacks were Fields (2021, No. 11), Mitch Trubisky (2017, No. 2) and Rex Grossman (2003, No. 22). Grossman last the longest at six seasons.