Caleb Williams looking on.Caleb Williams (Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images)
Football fans are ripping on Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams after getting honest about his emotions during a challenging rookie year.

The first-overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft had a fine statistical rookie year on a mediocre Bears team, completing 62.5 percent of pass attempts for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions.

But Williams didn’t get much help from his teammates or coaching staff, to say the very least. He was sacked a league-high 68 times, and head coach Matt Eberflus was fired after Chicago dropped eight of its first 12 games.

During an interview with Esquire, Caleb Williams admitted that he shed “a few tears” at home following some frustrating losses in his rookie year. However, the USC product kept a positive outlook and is using those losses as a learning experience:

“When I got home, I got in my bed. I just dropped a few tears. And I was just so beat-up mentally, physically, spiritually. I think those losses were pretty important for me and my growth.

To go on a losing streak, to be in this position and be at the helm of it, was definitely important for me. Just being able to see how I need to be when times are bad…I’m going to work my tail off to never be in that situation again.”

Some football fans, however, weren’t pleased with Williams getting brutally honest about his emotions.

“I’m fairly certain that some Bears fans care more than he does about winning,” a user quipped.

“Man he’s so easy to hate lmao,” one fan wrote.

“Brother cries at every minor inconvenience in life 😂 just wait till bears fans turn on him in year 3 when he’s still buns,” said a user.

“There’s no crying in football,” another commented.

“SOFT. That is why we is a bust as of now. That is why i didn’t like him at USC,” wrote a fan.

“Yeah he’s a bust.. I’ll stand by that…keep those receipts too!” another fan said.

We live in a time where people are being encouraged to open up about their emotions, feelings and mental health more than ever instead of bottling it up. Regardless of what some internet trolls said, Williams feels no shame in being fully honest.

Bears Have Put Caleb Williams In A Position To Break Out In 2025

Caleb Williams (Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)
The good news for Williams is that GM Ryan Poles wasted little time trying to rebuild this club into a winner. Chicago brought in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the top candidate in this year’s hiring cycle, to take over as the new head coach.

Chicago also bolstered their offensive line by acquiring Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson in the trade market and signing veteran center Drew Dalman. With a qualified head coach and a rebuilt pass protection unit up front, the pieces are there for Williams ad the Bears to emerge as playoff contenders in 2025.

Caleb Williams Reveals Bears Were All “Annoyed” By Matt Eberflus Before His Firing

Caleb Williams in Bears gearCaleb Williams (Photo via Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)
Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams spared no punches while discussing his old coach, Matt Eberflus, in a recent interview.

Williams, the No. 1 overall pick last year, didn’t have as great a first season in the Windy City as he probably imagined. Eberflus was unable to really get the quarterback going in the pros and ended up being fired over it.

It doesn’t appear they had a good relationship either, with Williams undoubtedly happy to see him go. If that wasn’t already apparent, the QB revealed there were certain things that “annoyed” him and other Bears players leading up to the firing.

The one that really stood out was the heartbreaking loss to Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary during the season.

Caleb Williams Admitted Matt Eberflus Handled That Infamous Washington Loss Poorly

Matt Eberflus in Bears jacketMatt Eberflus (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Caleb told the Chicago Sun-Times that Eberflus’ handling of the circumstances did not go down well in the locker room, although he credits the 12 losses from his rookie campaign with helping him grow.

 

“How [Eberflus] handled it at that time, for that game (against Washington), was, I think, one of the things that throughout the locker room people talked about and were annoyed by,” Williams said.

He added:

“I think those losses were pretty important for me and my growth. To go on a losing streak, to be in this position and be at the helm of it, was definitely important for me. Just being able to see how I need to be when times are bad… I’m going to work my tail off to never be in that situation again.”

Eberflus was fired about a month after that loss, and the Bears went on to finish the season with five wins. He has since been replaced by Ben Johnson.

As for Caleb Williams, the former USC star put up decent numbers, throwing for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions on 62.5 percent passing in his first pro season.