How Caleb Williams is outrunning the ghost of Justin Fields--literally

The new Chicago Bears quarterback has routinely posted some of the fastest ball-carrier speeds in the league this year—outracing his Bears predecessor.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs the ball during a football game against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers defeated the Bears 28-21. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When people were debating the merits of Chicago Bears keeping Justin Fields over drafting Caleb Williams last year after the 2023 season, one of the attributes people generally brought up as a counter to Williams’ vastly superior passing was the threat of Fields’ legs as a runner. Without a doubt, the former Bears quarterback is one of the most electric running quarterbacks ever to play, though his lack of ability as a passer has him riding the bench in New York currently.

But who would have thought the fastest quarterback in the NFL this year might actually have been the guy the Bears ended up with rather than the one they let go?

According to NextGen Stats (courtesy of X user @PaytonHalas), Williams has repeatedly proven himself one of the NFL quickest QBs, appearing six times on the list of top speeds among quarterbacks through Week 15. In fact, he owns the No. 1 spot on that roll, hitting 20.45 mph during a 13-yard run way back in Week 1.

But that’s not all: he’s the only quarterback in the league to make the top 16 fastest speeds twice, with six entries. So it’s no fluke.

Now, that’s not to say Williams would necessarily win a 40-yard dash against Fields, who landed himself on that list twice before getting benched by the Jets, or Bo Nix, who also can scoot. Plus, Williams won't ever run enough to rack up 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

What it does mean, though, is that the second-year Bears quarterback can outrun anyone he needs to when he’s got the pads on, which is what matters most. In addition to helping him grab 334 yards and three touchdowns with his legs, Williams’ underrated speed has also helped him avoid several sacks and extend plays in the passing game.

Combine that with the passing acumen he’s developing, having now topped 3,000 yards in back-to-back seasons while currently owning the fewest interceptions in his first 1000 passes in NFL history, and the Bears somehow got what they’d been looking for decades: a quarterback who happens to be a great athlete as opposed to a great athlete who happens to play quarterback.

Plus, it gives opposing defenses even more to worry about, knowing Williams’ legs are just as dangerous as his arm talent.

Only this time, the Bears are getting the arm talent first with some of the fastest quarterback legs in the league as a bonus.

More Chicago Bears News:

• C.J. Gardner-Johnson says Bears put Shedeur Sanders ‘in his place’
  

• Caleb Williams might just have had the best game of his career

• Bears “Stock Down”: Cairo Santos gets off on wrong foot in Week 15

• Bears “Stock Up”: DJ Moore reintroduces himself against the Browns