Bear Digest

Caleb Williams makes good on the promise he made to Bears after 2024 NFL Draft

Caleb Williams had a fantastic 2025 season with the Chicago Bears, including this stat, proving he's a man of his word.
Bryan Perez|
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Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams had a remarkable season in 2025. At least, by Bears standards, he did.

Williams finished his second year in the NFL atop the Chicago Bears' record books, toppling Erik Kramer's 30-year-old single-season passing record. Williams' 3,942 passing yards now sits alone as the most in franchise history, and he fell just two touchdown passes shy of Kramer's record in that category, too.

Even better is the fact that Williams led the Bears to an 11-win season and their first NFC North title since 2018. Chicago is the No. 2 seed in the NFC conference and preparing to take on the Green Bay Packers in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Life is good in for the Chicago Bears.

But what made the 2025 season really cool is the fact that Caleb Williams kept the promise he made during 2024 NFL draft weekend. You remember the one; he made it after the Bears selected punter Tory Taylor.

"Hey, you're not going to punt too much here," Williams said to Taylor via a text message.

After a rocky 2024 season, one that ended with a regime change in Chicago, those words became a punchline.

However, 2025 told a very different story. Williams can add fortune teller to his resume, it appears.

Yep, that's right. Tory Taylor was the least utilized punter in Chicago Bears franchise history.

Meanwhile, the Bears' offense cooked with Caleb Williams behind center.

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Chicago finished the 2025 season ninth in points per game (25.9) and sixth in total yards.

An offense like that certainly doesn't need its punter all that often.

But that was the regular season. Now, it's all about the playoffs. If the Bears want to make a serious run at a Super Bowl, they'll need a better showing than they had in Week 18's loss to the Detroit Lions.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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