No NFL rookie entered Week 1 of the 2024 season under as much scrutiny as Caleb Williams, the highly-touted quarterback of the Chicago Bears. As the main focus of HBO’s Hard Knocks, Williams was already in the national spotlight before taking a single professional snap. Many expect him to be the next big thing in the NFL, predicting he could become a superstar from the get-go in Chicago.
Williams earned a devoted following during his time at USC, where his performances electrified fans. His impact was so profound that the university decided to retire his No. 13 jersey—a rare honor for any player, given the number of football legends the school has produced.
Week 1 saw the Bears pitted against the Tennessee Titans, another team passing a period of change. Although Chicago came into the game as a favorite due to offseason buzz, their offense faltered. Williams struggled to find his rhythm, completing just 14 of 29 passes for a meager 93 yards. If not for the Bears’ defense and special teams stepping up, Chicago might have faced a humiliating defeat.
Despite his shaky debut, Williams achieved a feat not seen from a No. 1 overall quarterback pick since 2002, according to Bleacher Report. Fans, though, were quick to react to the rookie’s underwhelming performance, but thanks to the team’s efforts in other areas, Williams managed to avoid the harshest of critiques online.
With Week 1 behind him, Williams now faces the challenge of rebounding in Week 2 when the Bears hit the road to face CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans—a test that will likely determine how quickly he can adapt to the pressures of NFL life.