Lincoln Riley Gets Real About Caleb Williams’ Breakout Season in Chicago

Coaching matters. Support matters. It can ultimately be the difference in a quarterback becoming successful at the NFL versus becoming a bust or just an average starter.

In his rookie season with Chicago, Caleb Williams had neither. The coaching staff was incompetent, evident by the head coach and offensive coordinator being fired before the Bears even got to December.

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley NFL Playoffs Chicago Bears Los Angeles Rams Green Bay Packers Heisman Trophy Ben Johnson NFL Draft — Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up before the game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Williams was under heavy duress. He was sacked 68 times, tied for the third most in a season in NFL history. Now, the sacks weren’t fully on the offensive line, Williams does have to take some of the blame. But not having the proper staff to develop him in his inaugural season was glaring.

Last offseason, the Bears made a conservative effort to find a coach that would add structure to the organization but also develop their No. 1 overall pick into the quarterback that made him a can’t-miss prospect coming out of USC and modernize the offense.

Williams made a tremendous leap in year two. He continued to grow throughout the season and as he progressed so did the team. The Bears won its first division title since 2018 and first playoff game since 2010.

“I think the first thing I see is they’re very aligned and playing quarterback in the NFL is hard enough as it is but you got to have the right scheme and right system, the right culture, the right players around you,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said on the NFL Network’s “Super Bowl Live” Monday.

“If any part of that doesn’t work, then a lot of the time it’s going to show up on the quarterback. I know Ben’s come in there and done a tremendous job. I think Caleb played with a lot more confidence this year. Supporting cast around him did a great job and he’s to just going to continue to grow and get better," Riley continued.

“We see that time and time again in this league. You look at Sam [Darnold], you look at Baker [Mayfield] early on in his career when the situations there were a little bit challenging and now, he’s found a home in Tampa and doing great. You got to have that supporting cast, got to have everyone dialed in, everybody aligned. It’s just too hard to that position without it.”

The city of Chicago has been starving for a true franchise quarterback for decades. Not one they were winning with but one they were winning because of. One the city could wrap their arms around and Williams has provided that.

Caleb Williams Replicates USC Magic

Coming out of Southern Cal, Williams had been labeled a generational quarterback because of the eerily similar characteristics that resembled Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Williams was immediate must-see tv when he burst onto the scene during his true freshman season at Oklahoma. And when Willians followed Riley to USC the following season, he blossomed, becoming the program’s eight Heisman Trophy winner and briefly brought them back into the national spotlight.

Williams has talked in the past about the similarities between Riley and Johnson. The former USC quarterback has found trememndous success with both. There isn't a more important relationship in sports than the one between coach and quarterback.

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In the Wild Card round against the Green Bay Packers, the Bears were on their last hope. They trailed by nine and faced a 4th-and-8 on their own 43-yard line with 5:37 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Williams faced immediate pressure, retreated to his left and released a pass in a form that resembled the Jumpman logo before falling back. The throw was lofted perfectly to receiver Rome Odunze over several Packers defenders and in front of another for a 27-yard completion.

The Bears went onto score on that possession and again on their next to complete a 21-point comeback and pull a 31-27 stunner over their division rivals.

It caught the entire country by surprise but for USC fans, it was nothing that hadn’t seen during Williams’ two years in Los Angeles. It was a weekly occurrence and Williams made it that in the playoffs as well.

The following week against the Los Angeles Rams, Chicago trailed by seven and were once again on their last hope. They faced a 4th-and-4 from their own 14-yard line with 27 seconds remaining.

Williams was pressured and drifted all the way back to his 40-yard line until he put up a pass for tight end Cole Kmet towards the back of the end zone that was caught for a touchdown and sent the game into overtime. The Bears eventually lost in overtime but there’s a belief in Chicago about the future that has not been felt in a long time.

Talent was never going to be a problem for Williams. But now he has a coach that turn him into one of the premier quarterbacks in football.

Caleb Williams Replicates USC Magic

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