Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is making his long-awaited first appearance under wunderkind head coach Ben Johnson on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, and it’s safe to say he’s living up to the hype.
After a disappointing rookie campaign in which Williams completed just 62.5% of his passes and took a league-leading 68 sacks, the 2024 first overall pick is impressing NFL fans in his 2025 season debut.
In the first half against the Vikings, Williams has completed 13 of 16 passes (81.3% completion rate) for 112 yards. He’s also added 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground, showcasing more dual-threat ability than he did in the past.
Caleb Williams Dominating Vikings in Monday Night Football Masterpiece
Williams entered the Week 1 contest with the Vikings with huge expectations on his shoulders.
The Bears’ signal-caller went just 5-12 in his rookie season, to which the team responded by hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Under Johnson’s leadership, the Lions ranked first in points per game (33.1) and second in yards per game (415.7) last season.
In his first half, with Johnson calling plays, Williams has been electric. He’s shown far better pocket awareness than he did in his rookie campaign, and he’s been more willing to use his legs. That was shown on Williams’ touchdown scramble, which marked the first rushing touchdown of his career.
Caleb has his first career rushing TD! What an opening drive for the Bears.
MINvsCHI on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/H0amMBrXg9— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2025
Williams has also made a number of highlight-reel passes, including an on-the-run bullet to wideout Rome Odunze.
Caleb to Rome. That’s a dart.
MINvsCHI on ESPN/ABC
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/E0XHJGWoq4— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2025
He began the game on fire, completing his first 10 passes. Considering how much he struggled at times with his accuracy last year, it’s surely a sign of relief for Bears fans how impressive Williams has looked from the pocket.
Still, he hasn’t been perfect. He missed an important throw to DJ Moore on fourth down in the red zone when Johnson decided to get aggressive, costing the team points. He’s been more good than bad, but it’s clearly still a work in progress with the USC product.
The Bears lead the Vikings, 10-6, at the half, scoring just one field goal on top of Williams’ rushing touchdown. They have outgained the Vikings by nearly 100 yards (172-80), as their second-year quarterback is easily outplaying J.J. McCarthy.
