Kyle Shanahan Doesn't Hold Back on Caleb Williams' Arm Talent

The Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers are set to face off on Sunday Night Football in a pivotal matchup in the NFC playoff picture, but that has not stopped San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan from holding back his praise of Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams.

The former USC star has been a high-profile quarterback since entering college, and Trojans fans aren't surprised to see Williams having the success he has had in the NFL. Williams never reached the College Football Playoff under USC coach Lincoln Riley during his time with the Trojans, but the Bears have officially clinched a spot in the postseason by winning the NFC North, thanks to Green Bay's loss to Baltimore on Saturday.

Caleb Williams Chicago Bears playoffs Kyle Shanahan san francisco 49ers ben johnson nfc north usc trojans lincoln riley — Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan leaves the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

What Kyle Shanahan Said About Caleb Williams

"Caleb is one of the best throwers, most athletic quarterbacks I've ever seen in terms of his height, weight, and speed," Shanahan said. "He makes some big time throws. Extremely scary on the perimeter, can hold onto the ball for a while, not in a bad way but by creating stuff, which makes coverages have to hold up forever."

"When you have a talented guy like that who's got the speed and the size, usually they get a run game, get some bootlegs, some play-actions off of it. You limit how many times you got to drop back, and it makes sense why he's playing at such a high level," the 49ers coach continued.

Shanahan's description of Williams fits the traits that led the Bears to taking the USC quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the Trojans, Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy thanks in part to his ability to extend plays and improvise outside of the pocket. He also posted 4,537 passing yards and 42 touchdowns en route to becoming USC's eighth winner of the Heisman, the first in 17 seasons.

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First Look at Postseason Caleb Williams

Williams has made a number of clutch throws throughout his career, but NFL fans have yet to witness it on the brightest stage. The Bears already clinched the NFC North division crown thanks to the Baltimore Ravens beating the Green Bay Packers, but Chicago has an opportunity to solidify their standing in the NFC playoff picture against San Francisco.

The Seattle Seahawks, and fellow former Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold, currently own the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but the Bears are still in contention for the top seed and home-field advantage until the NFC Championship. Regardless, Williams will be making his postseason debut with Chicago coach Ben Johnson in their first season together.

Williams and the Bears will kickoff against the San Francisco 49ers at 5:20 p.m. PT on Sunday, and Chicago will conclude the regular season at home against the Detroit Lions in week 18.