Bear Digest

Jon Gruden raves about Bears QB Caleb Williams ahead of his Bears-Rams prediction

Jon Gruden praises Caleb Williams, explains the Bears' moment, and gives his Divisional Round prediction vs. the Rams.
Bryan Perez|
Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

When former Super Bowl-winning coach Jon Gruden talks football, he rarely does so quietly. His recent comments about the Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, and the elements in Chicago for Sunday's Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams kept with that theme.

And Bears Nation will love them.

“It’s going to be hard to throw,” Gruden said, describing the shock of stepping off the bus into lakefront conditions. “The wind is blowing off this lake. It’s called Lake freaking Michigan… and you’re standing over there ... and you’re going, man, I’m a little older than I used to be. And I’m really freaking cold.”

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It's that environment that Gruden thinks will feed into the emotions of playoff football. "The Chicago Bears fan base has been waiting for this. This place is going to go nuts," he said of the Soldier Field crowd.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game
David Banks-Imagn Images

When discussing Bears QB Caleb Williams, Jon Gruden relied on a goose-bump-inducing concept: destiny.

"It's destiny calling," Gruden said.

Like most in sports media in recent days, Gruden pointed to Williams' late-game heroics, and his abillity to pull wins out of nowhere in his seven fourth-quarter comeback wins.

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"This guy's a young Brett Favre," Gruden said. "Fourth an eight, he's running to his left. He breaks a tackle and throws a bullet. It's the greatest throw I've ever seen."

That's saying something.

But Jon Gruden wasn't only giving Williams his flowers. He recognized the guy at the top of the Bears' coaching food chain, Ben Johnson.

"What can you say about this? You love him... how can you not love him?" Gruden said.

Best of all? Gruden offered his prediction for the Divisional Round, and, yep, he's all-in on the Chicago Bears.

"Bear down," Gruden said. "Bears are going to win, 20-17."

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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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