“He could’ve been Rookie of the Year” - Brian Urlacher raises issue how Caleb Williams was set up to fail in his debut season with Bears

The Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams at No. 1 in 2024, and he had a decent first season. The quarterback started all 17 regular season games and threw for 3,500 yards. He also scored 20 touchdowns and threw only six interceptions.

However, Williams was also sacked 68 times, leading many to question if he's the right player to be the team's QB1. Bears legend Brian Urlacher recently gave his take on the situation. The former linebacker believes Williams could have been the Rookie of the Year if it wasn't for subpar blocking and bad coaching decisions.

"I have a huge connection with two teams: the Cowboys and the Bears," Urlacher said on Thursday, via the "Glory Daze" podcast. "I'm not going to say I sit down and watch all their games, but if they're playing a night game, I’ll watch. I still root for them. I love what they did. I love Caleb. I think he's going to be really good."

"You know, I think if you maybe put him in a different position, a different situation last year, I think he could have been Rookie of the Year. You know what Kingsbury did with Jayden Daniels in Washington, and what Bo Nix did out with Sean Payton in Denver. So maybe a different situation."

Brian Urlacher strongly endorsed Caleb Williams and the Bears new HC Ben Johnson

Many believe that Caleb Williams failed to make a significant impact since arriving in Chicago. The Chicago Bears had one of the worst records in the NFL last season, and at one point, were on a 10-game losing streak.

The franchise decided it was time to change things up and hired Ben Johnson as their new coach. Bears legend Brian Urlacher is optimistic about the move and the magic Williams and Johnson can produce next season.

"Ben Johnson is the man" Urlacher said on Thursday, via the "Glory Daze" podcast. "I love the hire. I think he will do a great job."

It'll be interesting to see how far Johnson and Williams can take Chicago next season.