-
Courtney Cronin
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears prepare to open the playoffs against the Green Bay Packers, the second-year quarterback understands the confidence others have in him — because it mirrors the belief he has in himself.
«I think I am built for these moments, mentality-wise, how I’ve worked,» Williams said Tuesday ahead of his playoff debut in Saturday’s NFC wild-card matchup. «I’ve been in a bunch of big games before and a bunch of big rival games. … In these moments, I think I can provide a spark for the team. I think I can do whatever my team needs me to do, whether that’s stand in the pocket, whether that’s run, whether that’s scramble, whether that’s … hand the ball off 30 times and be energetic about it.
«Whatever it takes is where I’m at, where I’m going to be at for these next couple of weeks hopefully.»
Williams’ late-game heroics are part of the fabric of the 2025 season. He has logged six fourth-quarter comeback wins, tied with Peyton Manning for the most by a first- or second-year quarterback since the start of 1950.
Las Vegas, Washington, Cincinnati, the New York Giants, Minnesota and Green Bay, the last of which was highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore in overtime.
First-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson has multiple years of postseason experience, most recently as offensive coordinator of the 2024 Detroit Lions team that earned the NFC’s 1-seed. Williams doesn’t boast the same level of playoff knowhow, but the confidence Johnson has in his quarterback to thrive in a high-stakes moment is earned from what he has seen from the 24-year-old as of late.
«He’s a completely different quarterback than when we first took this job,» Johnson said. «I think back to the springtime, during camp at times and some of the struggles that we were having as an offense in those moments, we’ve certainly moved past that. I’m encouraged for where he’s at right now.
«I know he’s really looking forward to this opportunity to go out there. He’s played some good football here, particularly in the back half of the season for us, and we’re going to need that. We’re going to need him at his best. We’re going to need all of our players at their best. I’m hopeful we’re going to get that.»
Williams became the Bears’ single-season passing leader in Chicago’s Week 18 loss to Detroit and finished the 2025 season with 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and a 90.1 passer rating.
While he fell short of his goal of being the first Bears quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards, reaching this milestone is among the reasons he shares Johnson’s sentiment.
«I feel that I’ve grown tremendously so far this year, and it’s exciting to see,» Williams said. «That record was more or less the growth that I’ve had. That’s where I’ve been at, that’s where my mindset’s been at and then at this moment, it’s at an all-time high for myself, of confidence. I’m going to go into the game that way. I’m going to bring that this week. I’m going to bring energy this week for the guys and bring the urgency, because that’s what we need.»
Saturday’s wild-card game will be the third meeting between the NFC rivals this season and just the third time that the Bears and Packers have met in the playoffs.
While Johnson has stressed the need for the Bears’ offense to get off to a faster start, Chicago has been able to lean on Williams’ late-game performances to mount an 11-win season. If the Bears beat Green Bay to advance to the divisional round, Williams will become the first Chicago quarterback to defeat the Packers twice in a season (including the playoffs) since Jim Harbaugh did it in 1991.
«He’s played in a lot of big games over the course of his life,» Johnson said. «I think he’s primed and he’s ready to go. He was built for these moments. He plays his best when we need him to, and so, there’s really not a whole lot that needs to be said. He just needs to be him.»
