Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams likely wasn’t pleased with his own performance Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, but with his team winning the game and the quarterback landing in the record books, things weren’t all bad on the lakefront.
The Bears erased a 17-0 deficit and scored 24 unanswered points, boosted by an interception return for a touchdown and a blocked punt returned for another score as they knocked off the Titans 24-17 in their season opener at Soldier Field.
Williams went 14-for-29 for 93 yards in the game, but importantly he did not turn the ball over, with Titans quarterback Will Levis throwing two pivotal interceptions in the later stages of the game.
Despite the rough start, Williams has marked a place in the NFL’s record books with his first career victory.
According to the Bears’ PR department, Williams is now the fourth quarterback since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to be drafted No. 1 overall and to win in Week 1 of his rookie season. The last to do so was David Carr of the Houston Texans, winning their first-ever game in 2002.
Jim Plunkett was the first to achieve the feat with the Raiders in 1971, and John Elway won his first career start as a member of the Denver Broncos in 1983.
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After the game, Williams was realistic about his performance and promised to improve in weeks to come.
“It’s hard to win in this league. We’re excited, but we’ve got a lot more to get better at, a lot more to progress, and to get ready for this week,” he said.
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The Bears will be back in action on NBC’s Sunday Night Football on Sept. 15, taking on CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans.
