Why Caleb Williams Has Everyone Paying Attention To Chicago

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams led his team to a come-from-behind victory over the Green Bay Packers in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday. The former USC Trojans star struggled at times, but led another comeback win to extend Chicago's season.

Known for his ability to make off-platform throws while extending plays outside of the pocket in college, the biggest play of the game for Williams showcased his talents. On a fourth-down attempt in the fourth quarter, while trailing by 11 still, Williams rolled to his left and threw off his back foot. As USC fans have seen time and time again, Williams' ball placement was practically perfect while escaping the pressure, ultimately finding Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze for a 27-yard conversion.

What Caleb Williams Said After First Career Playoff Win

Chicago Bears Caleb Williams comeback win Green Bay Packers Ben Johnson nfl wild card round game ball usc trojans quarterback — Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

After the win, Williams received a game ball from Chicago coach Ben Johnson, and the former Trojan addressed the locker room.

"I said last night, ‘You make your money in the regular season, but in the postseason, legacy, your name, everything.’ And so that’s us. That’s us, it’s not me. Obviously, you know, game ball or whatever. that’s us. I want to keep this s--- going. We have to get f------ better, alright? We have to start being on the details, we have to execute, penalties, all of that, to be able to get where we want to go. And I want to be here, I want to do this with y’all. So it starts tomorrow, it starts the next day," Williams told his teammates.

After receiving his game ball, Williams surprised Johnson with one of his own.

"I got one more thing, though. 15 years they said ‘Haven’t beaten Green Bay or whatever.' . . . Look at this guy right here. Everything he’s done for us as a coach, everything the other coaches have done for us. And it started with him with bringing in everybody and all of that. And for me personally, he’s been monumental in my life so far," Williams said while getting choked up. "And so to his first playoff win as Chicago Bears head coach."

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Clutch Caleb Williams

According to CBS Sports' Doug Clawson, the Bears are 3-3 when trailing by 10 in the final five minutes of the game, compared to a staggering record for the rest of the NFL.

The Bears are 3-3 when down 10+ points in the final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter this season.

The rest of the NFL is 3-158
— Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) January 11, 2026

Williams has led a number of comeback wins during the regular season as Chicago. In fact, the Bears have seven wins when losing in the last two minutes of the game.

Clutch quarterback play is nothing new from Williams, though, who often single-handedly kept USC in games while the Trojans defense struggled. In 2022, USC had the No. 93 scoring defense in the country, but Williams led the Trojans to an 11-1 record in the regular season before losing to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 after finishing the year with 42 passing touchdowns and five interceptions to go along with 4,537 passing yards.

Coming out of college, he was viewed as the consensus No. 1 overall pick, but Williams' pro career got off to a slow start under former Chicago coach Matt Eberflus. Now working with Johnson, the former Trojans quarterback has seemingly found a knack for comeback wins in the NFL.