Overview
- Williams transformed the Bears to an 11-6 record, won the NFC North and set the franchise single-season passing mark with 3,942 yards in 2025, but his completion rate ranked near the bottom of starters.
- Coaches led by Ben Johnson made ball placement and quicker decisions an offseason focus, and mandatory minicamp drills produced positive reports and public praise from Johnson for Williams.
- Williams has publicly addressed the criticism, telling interviewers he sometimes intentionally throws the ball away to support the team's fourth-down aggressiveness and to protect scoring opportunities.
- Critics remain vocal: analytics outlets flagged a high negatively graded throw rate and former scout Daniel Kelly warned that declining short-area accuracy could threaten long-term sustainability.
- Chicago enters 2026 with roster upgrades, an expanded receiver room and the NFL's toughest schedule, which heightens the immediate stakes for Williams to convert offseason gains into measurable accuracy improvements on game days.