Why the NFL World Can't Agree on Caleb Williams-Jordan Love Rankings

The NFL world is having difficult time trying to decide whether, for the first time since perhaps the days of Sid Luckman, the Chicago Bears have a better quarterback than the Green Bay Packers. In July, Caleb Williams edged out Jordan Love in ESPN's Top 10 NFL quarterback rankings, followed a week later by his first appearance on the NFL Top 100 list, finishing 21 spots ahead of Love. This is no small feat, considering that ESPN's list is compiled by anonymously polling NFL general managers, coaches, and scouts, while the NFL Top 100 list is voted on by players.

Meanwhile, The Athletic published their annual quarterback tier rankings for the 2026 season last month, and while both Williams and Love landed in Tier 2, defined as Borderline Stars, Love finished one spot ahead. And now, ESPN published their own Top 100 players list, as voted on by a panel of their analysts, and Williams came in at No. 62, behind Love at No. 52.

Why are opinions so divided on these two players? There's a few reasons why, and all of them should be exciting for both fanbases.

1. Williams and Love are more similar than many fans would care to admit

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams rolls out to pass against the Green Bay Packers. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This has more to do with Packers fans, who are understandably loathe to consider the possibility that a Chicago Bears quarterback is on par with a Green Bay Packers quarterback. But the facts are what they are.

Both Williams and Love are young, electric quarterbacks with highlight reels from last season that can go toe-to-toe with the most elite quarterbacks in the league. Neither one is particularly unlikeable (at least, not for legitimate reasons), and both have the full respect of their teammates, as evidenced by the bestowing of the 'Iceman' nickname on Williams. They're both big-game hunters, looking for explosive plays, and this leads them both into a handful of boneheaded mistakes.

The comparison gets truly interesting once you look at the one quarterback in common between both Williams and Love: four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, of course, mentored Love for three years, influencing his style and how he plays the game. However, Williams was a known fan of Rodgers growing up and before the 2024 NFL draft even said that Rodgers was the No. 1 guy he modeled his game after. In fact, while many analysts have compared Williams to Patrick Mahomes, a comparison to a young Aaron Rodgers is probably more apt.

If either Williams or Love, or both, can get even close to becoming the next Aaron Rodgers, they'll one day be considered locks to join him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2. Future Potential vs Proven Production

Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love directs the offense at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This comes down to a matter of personal preference. Many fans and analysts are willing to take Williams' 2025 breakout season at face value and say that he's only going to get better. Colin Cowherd even ranked Williams as his No. 3 quarterback for the 2026 season. Others, however, want to see him do it again before fully buying in, and these are the people who put more stock in Love's proven production.

While he's struggled to break into the elite tier of quarterbacks for which he seemed destined after an unbelievable second half of the 2023 season, Love has put up enviable numbers in every year that he's started for the Packers. His first season as their starter would have been a franchise record for the Bears, an admittedly low bar but one that he immediately cleared, nonetheless.

3. Both quarterbacks are, at worst, good quarterbacks

Once again, this is a conclusion that many fans of both teams do not wish to consider. Bears fans are sick of seeing the Packers succeed at the quarterback position; Packers fans feel threatened, meanwhile, by having to face a potentially elite Bears quarterback twice a year for the first time in many Packers' fans entire lives.

Regardless of the feelings of fans, both Love and Williams are good quarterbacks, period. Even if Williams doesn't hit the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick, he's at worst a capable, long-term starter, which is something the Bears haven't seen in years, perhaps decades. As for Love, it's highly unlikely that he becomes Green Bay's third consecutive Hall of Fame quarterback, but he's not going anywhere anytime soon.

At the end of the day, it may not matter much which quarterback is truly better than the other. If you want my two cents, I think Love has just about hit his ceiling as a very good, but not quite great, quarterback, while Williams could very well develop into the NFC's Patrick Mahomes. But as long as both of them are suiting up for their teams, Bears and Packers games will continue to be must-see TV.

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