Many feared the Chicago Bears’ dysfunction would ruin Caleb Williams mentally before he ever got a chance to ascend as a quarterback. True to form, the organization gave it its best shot this season. They fired both the offensive coordinator and head coach within weeks of each other and have allowed the quarterback to get sacked 58 times in 14 games. He must be broken as a player, right? It may surprise people to learn that Williams has stayed remarkably level-headed amidst the chaos.
At his latest press conference, the quarterback was asked if the hits and personal struggles are affecting his confidence at all. The quarterback provided a thoughtful answer. In short, neither of those things bothers him. He’s more upset about the team’s inability to win games.
“Losing, it’s one of those things that actually really affects me. It’s tough. But I do have the (understanding) of where I’m at in my career and where I’ll be at. … So, having all that in mind, there’s a lot to be optimistic and positive about, because I’m not my best self yet, and that’s soon to come. I’m working towards that every day, and going to keep working towards that.”
The Bears aren’t where they want to be. That much is obvious. However, they seem to have finally pinpointed a quarterback with the mental fortitude to handle playing in this city. His maturity is impossible to ignore. The outside noise doesn’t bother him. He goes into every game ready to compete. While it hasn’t always been pretty, the rookie is one of the few still fighting to win. That is exactly what the Bears need from him. Caleb Williams is the steady ship in the storm. If the organization can finally get the head coach right and retool the offensive line, some of those close losses will start turning into wins. The steady self-assurance is refreshing to hear from a Bears quarterback rather than the aw-shucks stuff previous guys seemed to offer.
For once, the organization is in a good spot at the most important position. Everything depends on what happens over the next two months. Landing the right coach could help things coalesce for the first time since the 1980s.
