Bear Digest

Caleb Williams a Natural as Bears Captain Even as a Rookie

The Bears voted for their captains and rookie QB Caleb Williams had done enough to establish leadership to become one of eight players named to the role.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams not only took on a leadership role as a rookie but did it to the extent that teammates voted him a captain.
Caleb Williams not only took on a leadership role as a rookie but did it to the extent that teammates voted him a captain. | Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

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Chicago Bears

The Bears have expressed nothing but faith in rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and as Week 1 game week begins this continues.

Williams has been voted by players as one of their eight captains for the 2024 season and it surprised no one with the team or coach Matt Eberflus to have a rookie as captain.

"I haven't had that before but again, I put it to a vote, had it with the offense and defense, and had the guys rank those guys and he came out really high, all those guys did. That's what's great about it. We had other guys that had great votes too, just not enough to get into that captains vote.

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"That's a really good sign that he's got leadership throughout the entire team."

The Bears have called Williams the first rookie captain they've namef for a full season, although this isn't always the practice. Sometimes there have been captains on a rotating basis and records on such in-team honors are difficult to substantiate.

Wide receiver DJ Moore called it natural for Williams to be considered a leader because he already had been one.

"I mean, when you come to work every day like he did, and go through the things that he had to grow through, especially against the defense, and you see the work that he was putting in day-in and day-out, I mean you can't do anything but respect and want him to be a captain for you."

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Williams definitely didn't force himself into the role, according to Moore.

"I don't think he was looking for anybody to get behind him and follow his lead," Moore said. "I think he let it just come naturally. And once he got comfortable, I mean, it took him a while to get comfortable and start opening up and being who he really truly was because he did have to go through learning the offense, learning everybody, learning different things.

"And once he did that everybody just started gravitating to him and he's a captain now."

They have a curious mix besides Williams,  including Moore. He has naturally become a leader after he didn't think of himself that way.

"Yeah that's what I was confused (by) too, because when I was in Carolina I wasn't a captain but I get here and I'm automatically a captain," Moore said. "The first year I was surprised but your guess is as good as mine on that one.

"To answer your question I mean I showed up every day working, I didn't have any feelings or bad energy toward being here last year. This year  I think everybody got to know me because of last year and this year I kind of like opened more to the locker room and so they see who I really was and who I really am as a person."

The others are tight end Cole Kmet, tight end Marcedes Lewis and wide receiver DJ Moore joining Williams and on defense with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, linebacker T.J. Edwards, safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Jaylon Johnson were named captains. No offensive linemen were among them and no special teamers, and Eberflus wasn't sure if he was going to institute a past practice of designating other captains each week.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.