Bear Digest

Caleb Williams has the perfect reaction to receiving game ball after Bears' Wild Card win

The Bears' franchise QB has a firm understanding of just how important their Wild Card Round victory was for the franchise.
Jerry Markarian|
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) leaves the field following a game against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Jan 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) leaves the field following a game against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Bears came away with a miraculous win over their hated rivals in the most Bears way possible. They overcame a 21-6 fourth-quarter deficit to beat Green Bay in the Wild Card Round.

This marked the Bears' third win in which they were down by 10+ points in the final three minutes. Those three wins tied the rest of the league. The rest of the league just so happens to have 155 more losses than Chicago, though.

Absolutely miraculous. It's been one of the most improbable seasons of all time, and they clearly aren't ready for it to end just yet.

Caleb Williams knows full well just how special this season has been. He's been one of the major reasons for their success, just like he was the catalyst for their comeback yesterday.

The second-year QB received a game ball for his efforts, and he had the perfect response to the honor.

Firstly, Williams highlighted the obvious. They need to get better. If they want this 'Cinderella run' to continue and beat the 49ers or Rams next week, then they'll have to play better over the first three quarters. That's just the fact of the matter.

The Bears didn't display quality execution over the first three quarters (specifically in the first half) today. They looked sloppy on offense, had a few miscues in key moments, namely on a handful of fourth downs, and struggled to keep up with Green Bay's receivers on the defensive side of the ball.

Even more importantly (because it indicates just how close they've become), Williams also gave his game ball to Ben Johnson. Not only for achieving his first playoff win, but for reinvigorating the locker room and city of Chicago. He's injected a winning culture into a team that was dearly missing its identity before he arrived at O'Hare.

While Johnson's ultra-aggressiveness almost cost the Bears yesterday, he still deserves much credit for creating a team that doesn't blink in the face of adversity. There aren't many teams, not only among those playing right now, but in NFL history, that could've won some of the games that Chicago did this year. The fact that they brought their signature winning ways to the playoffs is a testament to their never-die mindset.

Speaking of, Williams also has a firm understanding of just how much higher the stakes are in the postseason. That's when a team's legacy is established.

I'm not sure about you, but it doesn't seem like this Bears team would be content with an early playoff exit, regardless of when it occurs. They're looking to make a run.

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Jerry Markarian
JERRY MARKARIAN

Jerry Markarian has been an avid Chicago Bears fan since 2010 and has been writing about the team since 2022. He has survived the 2010 NFC Championship Game, a career-ending injury to his favorite player (Johnny Knox), the Bears' 2013 season finale, a Double Doink, Mitchell Trubisky, Justin Fields, and Weeks 8-17 of the 2024 NFL season. Nevertheless, he still Bears Down!

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