Tom Brady Offers Reality Check for Bears’ Caleb Williams About Lofty Goal

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is confident. His screensaver on his phone alludes to wanting eight championships. The record is seven Super Bowl victories, held by former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

NFL Network?s Tom Pelissero asked Brady what he thought of Williams ? or any young quarterback ? taking that approach. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer was almost philosophical in his response.

Tom Brady Delivers Reality Check for Bears’ Caleb Williams

Tom Brady Reacts to Caleb Williams’ Super Bowl Goal

?Everyone?s gonna find different ways for motivation. And that?s certainly a way that Caleb can find it. A lot of people are going to find different motivations. I find them just the ways that I did that were useful to me. I think that there?s a lot that goes into winning one,? Brady said on ?The Insiders? on June 13.

?You?ve got to set your goals high. I would never tell anyone they can?t achieve anything. Because if people would have told me that I couldn?t achieve anything, that would have been pretty discouraging. I don?t want people to discourage young athletes one bit. So I think people should always reach for the stars. Certainly young quarterbacks in the league that?s got a lot of opportunity. But their career is gonna be made by what they choose to do, and with the work that they put in, and the relationships that they develop with their teammates, and the organizations they can impact.?

Brady never addressed whether or not he believed that Williams would be able to reach those heights. The two have met previously, so there is at least some relationship there.

Brady did say that achieving those lofty goals won?t happen without putting in the requisite work.

?They should have high goals,? Brady said. ?But they?re gonna have to work hard to achieve them. And I really look forward to seeing that process unfold. That?s really where the hard part comes, for sure.?

Caleb Williams Facing Different Kind of Pressure With Bears

Williams spoke about success being an expectation in his family before the draft. But he is stepping into unusual territory with the Bears.

Their decades-long search for an answer at quarterback and another Super Bowl is one thing. The supporting cast they have put around him ? headlined by DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at wide receiver and backed by what was a top-five defense in 2023 ? adds another level of expectation (i.e. pressure) that is only amplified by the Bears? previous shortcomings.

Williams is not blind to the circumstances.

He has been peppered with questions about every potential pitfall since it became clear he would be the Bears? choice at No. 1 overall. He has embraced that pressure and those expectations outright.

Williams? journey to match and surpass Brady?s mark would inevitably see him etch his name atop several records in Bears franchise history. He can get off to a good start next season thanks to the supporting cast the Bears front office has put around him.

Caleb Williams in Position to Re-Write Bears Record Books

A final line of 562 attempts, 3,839 yards, and 29 touchdowns would make Williams the first Bears quarterback in history to hit any of those marks in a single season. Those numbers would have ranked ninth, 15th, and tied for fifth last season, respectively.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud ? the No. 2 overall pick in last year?s draft ? attempted 499 passes for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns in what was one of the best rookie campaigns by a quarterback in recent memory.

More importantly, Stroud led the Texans to their first playoff berth and victory since the 2019 season.

The Bears are four years removed from their last postseason appearance. They have not won a playoff game since 2010; a daunting track record to be sure.