Bears QB Caleb Williams details lows of frustrating rookie season, goals for bounce-back Year 2 in 2025

The former No. 1 overall pick is quite confident in his lofty goals for his sophomore season

Chicago Bears second-year quarterback Caleb Williams has set lofty production goals for himself ahead of the 2025 season, which kicks off against the Minnesota Vikings at home on Monday Night Football. 

Before he plans on eclipsing those numbers and leading this franchise to the postseason, however, Williams says he had to come to grips with the harsh reality that produced a valuable lesson last season as a rookie.

"Realizing we had 12 losses, never lost that much in one season in my life or anything like that," Williams said in an interview with ESPN. "Dealing with that, that was low for me. As everybody knows, there's not a day you don't love football, but you get up and it's like, 'OK, here's going to be a tough day.' And it's finding ways to keep going. Those are the most importantly days. You get up and you don't feel as encouraged, as motivated, and those are the really important days for us as a team and us as players."

Williams said he draws inspiration from Warriors guard Stephen Curry and other high-end athletes with the daily, inner drive of wanting to be the best amongst his peers. Williams wants to "do all the right things and win" in his second season, partly why his personal goal of 4,000 yards passing and a 70% completion rate spiked offseason conversations following the hire of new coach Ben Johnson, the offensive mind behind the Detroit Lions over the past three seasons. The new marriage with Williams could produce sizable statistics.

Only four quarterbacks managed those numbers last season: Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith.

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"Those are my goals, and it gives you something to live up to," Williams said. "I want to win for this city. I want to win for the Bears. I want to win for my teammates. Selfishly, I love to call myself a winner. I'm a winner in everything I do, so that's part of it. Being the first 4,000-yard passer would be sick in the 100-plus years of Bears history. 

"You know, 70% completion [rate], that keeps us on the field," he continued. "Trying to score as many points as possible each drive. Just keeping us on the field, scoring as many points as possible ... the sky's the limit."

Chicago only managed five wins last season, but Williams' production was admirable. He became one of just four rookies to ever account for 4,000 yards of total offense and throw fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. He also showed durability. Williams was the first Bears quarterback to play every game in a season since 2009. Monday night's showdown against the Vikings pits Williams against fellow former first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, whom Minnesota has tabbed as its next franchise star.

McCarthy missed the 2024 season as a rookie with an injury and now gets the keys to the offense following the Vikings' decision not to re-sign Sam Darnold during the offseason.