Like it or not, it’s Aaron Rodgers week. Even in the post-Packers chapter of his career, there’s too much Bears-Rodgers history to pretend otherwise. So it was no surprise that Wednesday’s availability for Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson featured plenty of Rodgers talk from both quarterback and coach.
Williams has never shied away from the comparison. During the pre-draft process, I compared him to Aaron Rodgers. Williams himself said at the Combine that among the quarterbacks he studies, Rodgers was the most pronounced influence. If Rodgers is cleared to play Sunday, we could finally get the first meeting between the two.
“There’s probably only a couple of quarterbacks in the world that have been able to spin the ball the way that he does,” Williams said Wednesday. “Growing up as a kid… you admire some of the things he’s been able to do over the long career he has had.”
Rodgers didn’t practice on Wednesday, leaving his status uncertain, but Williams made clear he hopes the veteran takes the field.
“You always want their best out there. He’s one of the best in the world… You always want to go versus the best when you play.”
Still, in typical Williams fashion, admiration quickly gave way to the week’s focus: go 1-0 and move this team to 8-3. Whether it’s Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, or someone else, Sunday’s goal stays the same.
Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) makes a pass to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn ImagesBears Head Coach Ben Johnson was asked whether he sees similarities between his rookie quarterback and Rodgers. Johnson pointed to Rodgers’ elite snap-to-throw quickness and accuracy, while acknowledging that the Bears are still building toward that with Williams:
“He’s doing a really good job spitting it out. He’s accurate — I think our guy’s the same way — but we probably hold onto it a little bit more… We’re learning and we’re growing. I think we’ll gravitate more toward getting it out faster.”
That theme — accuracy and quick-trigger operation — came up again when Williams was asked about the team’s overall progress.
“I think we feel good with where we’re at… But you also do understand that things can turn,” Williams said. “Ben said something to me… ‘I don’t know if you can go 25 for 25, but I do know that you can go one for one… 25 times.’ So just focusing on where we’re at… If we go 1-0 each week, we’ll be exactly where we want to be.”
Williams’ own misses last week were part of that conversation. Two early balls (one to Rome Odunze, another to DJ Moore) could have gone for explosive plays.
“For Rome’s, just give him a little bit better shot,” Williams said. “We fully expect those types of throws to be a very high percentage between Rome and I. And then DJ — I just have to give DJ a shot. I let it go kind of early… If I take a hit, I take a hit and just deliver DJ the ball.”
Staying Present, Guarding Against the Noise
Williams was also asked about avoiding the temptation of looking too far ahead with the Bears suddenly positioned near the top of the NFC standings.
“I’ve gone through one season so far… But I’ve gone through a season where we started off pretty well,” he said. “Just understanding that it’s a long season. A lot can happen… Just making sure that myself, I stay away from the social media… stay present… Make sure I lead these guys… and become 1-and-O each and every week.”
And when asked whether the rising stakes of these games feel any different to him, Williams pushed back.
“I don’t ever flip into this is a higher state game than the other,” he said. “You start falling into that trap… start comparing… then you start getting distracted with where you want to go… Solely focus on being 1-0 this week and not adding or subtracting any pressure.”
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai (25) and quarterback Caleb Williams (18) celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn ImagesClutch Contributors — And the Push for 60 Full Minutes
One of the themes of the Bears’ recent surge has been different players stepping up in big moments. Williams said that’s less about individual heroics and more about collective belief.
“We’re bought in. We believe… we’ve got all the guys that we need,” he said. “We just have to go out there and execute for the whole game, all 60 minutes… You only have 17 that are promised.”
He emphasized that the Bears don’t want to rely on late-game escapes.
“We’d rather… all three phases are connecting and gelling and meshing… rather than have somebody show up at the end and have to ‘nut up or shut up.’ We want to be able to focus on all 60 minutes.”
Scouting the Steelers Defense
This week, those 60 minutes come against a Pittsburgh defense that Williams clearly respects — and one he sees as a major test.
“They’ve got some guys on that side of the ball,” he said. “They’ve got some vets… they just have playmakers. Overall, the pass rush… 90 and 51. Then they obviously have Jalen and Heyward and Patrick… You see why they’ve been where they’ve been… why they haven’t really had a losing season… It’s a great challenge for us.”
And that gets back to Williams’ core message of the week: admiration for Rodgers, respect for the Steelers, but zero interest in anything beyond going 1-0.
“It starts with this week,” he said.
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